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Add an EventMalaysian opposition leader threatened with spurious new charges
In 1998, amid bitter divisions in the government over economic policy, Anwar was sacked from his posts as finance minister and deputy prime minister then detained and beaten when he began organising anti-government protests. He was convicted on trumped-up charges of corruption and sodomy, but was freed in 2004 after the latter conviction was overturned on appeal. Sodomy is outlawed in Malaysia and carries a sentence of up to 20 years jail.
Anwar emerged from the Turkish Embassy late on Monday only after he and his lawyers received personal safety assurances from government ministers. He has initiated defamation action against his accuser23-year-old Saiful Bukhari Azian, who has worked for Anwar as an assistant since March. Senior Keadilan officials claimed to have evidence that Saiful had been planted by pro-government supporters. At a news conference on Sunday, Anwars wife produced a photo allegedly showing Saiful with top officials from the ruling United Malay National Organisation (UMNO)the main party of the BN coalition.
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Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's opposition leader, has filed a police complaint against the country's national police chief and the attorney general over old sodomy charges.
Anwar, who is seen by many as a future prime minister, has alleged that evidence against him when he stood trial for sodomy in 1998 was fabricated, Sankaran Nair, his lawyer, said.
Anwar's complaint comes as he battles fresh sex allegations.
A 23-year-old government aide has accused Anwar of sodomising him, a charge that the opposition leader says is part of a political conspiracy by the government to thwart his political career and to "cause anxiety and disgust among Muslims" against him.
"This is a second round of a dirty conspiracy," the 60-year-old told reporters.
Anwar on Monday filed a defamation lawsuit against the aide.
Tuesday's complaint was filed against Musa Hassan, the inspector general of police, and Abdul Gani Patail, the attorney general, at a police station in Shah Alam, the capital of Selangor state that adjoins Kuala Lumpur.
Anwar was fired as deputy prime minister in 1998 after being accused of sodomising his driver and an aide.
Strong comeback
He was tried and convicted but a higher court overturned the conviction in 2004. Still, a related abuse of power conviction kept him banned from holding political office until April, a month after the general elections were held.
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