Malaysia's Anwar still wants to unseat government

Malaysia's Anwar still wants to unseat government

The Associated Press


Published: November 29, 200


KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim assured supporters Saturday that he was still determined to unseat the government, which foiled his bid to seize power more than two months ago.


Anwar had boasted he would be able to persuade dozens of ruling coalition lawmakers to join his opposition alliance by mid-September. After no defections occurred, Anwar accused the government of using legal roadblocks to prevent a peaceful power transfer.
In a speech at the annual congress of his People's Justice Party on Saturday, Anwar told more than 2,000 opposition members that the ruling National Front coalition "cannot block the will of the people."



Political observers say it remains unclear whether Anwar ever had sufficient support to oust Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration, which rejected Anwar's demands in September to discuss a voluntary power transfer or to call a special Parliament session to hold a vote on confidence in Abdullah's leadership.


Anwar's three-party opposition alliance won an unprecedented 82 seats in the 222-member Parliament in March elections, gaining ground as the National Front's popularity plummeted amid racial disputes, a weak economy and corruption accusations.