Malaysia's Anwar says to be charged with sodomy Thursday

source: Agence France-Presse - 8/6/2008 5:01 AM GMT

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Wednesday he had been informed he would be formally charged with sodomy on Thursday -- a crime punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment.

"They are charging me tomorrow. It's for sodomy," Anwar told AFP, adding that the authorities had informed him of the move in a letter.

Anwar, a former deputy premier who was jailed a decade ago on sodomy charges that were later overturned, faces new allegations by a 23-year-old aide, Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Anwar has rejected the accusations which he says have been fabricated to prevent him from toppling the government, after landmark March elections that handed the opposition an unprecedented one-third of parliamentary seats.

He announced last week he would contest a by-election for a seat vacated by his wife and earlier Wednesday the Election Commission announced the vote would be held on August 26.

The commission's chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said parties must nominate their candidates on August 16.

"During the by-election, it is important for all parties to follow the orders given by the security authorities and ensure peace and stability," he told reporters.

Anwar, the figurehead of the Keadilan party which heads the three-member opposition alliance, has said he is bracing for "massive" vote-rigging by the government to block him from winning the key ballot.

Keadilan information chief Tian Chua condemned the authorities' decision to hold the vote on a Tuesday, instead of on the weekend which is usual practice.

"I think the reason they are having it on a weekday is to reduce the turnout," he said.

"This is a deliberate action to inconvenience the voters. We condemn the Election Commission for their decision."

"We fear there could be rigging. We urge our supporters not to be complacent, it is going to be a tough battle but we are confident of victory," he said