Anwar’s opposition alliance has capitalised on public discontent with rising prices and a series of political scandals involving the government to gain ground on the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.
But some analysts have said the sodomy allegation plaguing Anwar could scuttle the opposition’s plans to take power.
The opposition alliance recorded its best ever result in a March poll, when it wrested control of five states and denied the ruling coalition its two-thirds parliamentary majority.
The father of Anwar’s accuser urged him yesterday to co-operate with police investigating the case.
“My son Saiful Bukhari has said that he is ready and willing at any time to swear in accordance with Islamic teachings at a mosque and to be witnessed by ulamas (religious scholars) and to uphold the truth that he was sodomised according to what was reported to the police,” Azlan Mohd Lazim said in a statement read by Saiful’s lawyer.
(reuters)