API - Opposition Chooses Anwar

Malaysian Opposition Chooses Anwar

Filed at 3:34 p.m. EDT

By The Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysia's opposition coalition chose
Anwar Ibrahim as its candidate for prime minister on Tuesday, despite
the ousted deputy prime minister six-year prison sentence for
corruption.

Leaders of the four political parties that form the Alternative Front,
or Barisan Alternatif, made the announcement in a statement faxed to
news agencies.

The statement said that if the coalition wins elections widely expected
by the end of the year, it would try to overturn his conviction through
a judicial inquiry into the ``political conspiracy which has led to
Anwar's imprisonment.''

Three key opposition activists were arrested Tuesday in what appears to
be a fresh crackdown on dissent. Police arrested two leaders of the
opposition National Justice Party, headed by Anwar's wife, Azizah
Ismail, after they surrendered at police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Several officers dragged Tian Chua, the party's vice president, and
youth leader Mohamed Ezam Mohamed Nor inside the building. The two were
accompanied by their lawyers, while 50 supporters chanted slogans
against the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

``The government can arrest us but more leaders will rise up,'' Tian
said in a statement. ``The threats by Mahathir cannot oppress the people
anymore.''

National Justice Party officials said Badrol Amin, another senior party
member, was also picked up by police Tuesday for participating in a
demonstration Sunday by about 10,000 people. Tuesday's arrests came a
day after four other activists were detained.

Anwar's nomination for prime minister was the first unified policy
proposal by the reformist coalition. Skeptics say the coalition's
multiethnic and religious makeup may hinder its success in Malaysia,
where politics are largely divided along ethnic lines.

``Once justice is delivered, he will be able to lead the nation, God
willing,'' said the coalition's statement. It added that an interim
prime minister chosen by Parliament would lead Malaysia until Anwar was
released from jail.

The statement was signed by leaders of the Parti Islam SeMalaysia, the
Democratic Action Party, the Malaysian Peoples' Party and the National
Justice Party. The four parties united in April in response to Anwar's
ouster from government, which was followed by unprecedented rallies
demanding an end to Mahathir's 18-year rule.

Mahathir sacked Anwar, his longtime protege, in September 1998, citing
corruption and illegal sex. Anwar was arrested, convicted of corruption
charges and is now on trial for sodomy. He denies the charges, saying
they are politically motivated.

Anwar was hospitalized nearly two weeks ago when lab tests organized by
his family showed an abnormal level of arsenic in his body. A government
hospital has yet to release its own test results.

In Washington, World Bank President James Wolfensohn said he was
``deeply concerned'' about Anwar after hearing reports on his health.

``He is still my friend and I hope we can get him out of jail,''
Wolfensohn said. Until his arrest, Anwar headed a World Bank committee
that represented developing nations.