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| Malaysia's Anwar seeks safety vow | Malaysia's Anwar seeks safety vow |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says he will not leave the Turkish embassy in Kuala Lumpur until the government guarantees his safety. | Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says he will not leave the Turkish embassy in Kuala Lumpur until the government guarantees his safety. |
| He took refuge there on Sunday after an aide accused him of sodomy. | He took refuge there on Sunday after an aide accused him of sodomy. |
| Mr Anwar, 60, denies the allegations, which he says are designed to block his political resurgence following success in March's general election. | Mr Anwar, 60, denies the allegations, which he says are designed to block his political resurgence following success in March's general election. |
| His lawyers have now filed a lawsuit against his 23-year-old male accuser, accusing him of libel. | His lawyers have now filed a lawsuit against his 23-year-old male accuser, accusing him of libel. |
| The suit, which also accuses the former aide filing a false police report, was filed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court early on Monday. | The suit, which also accuses the former aide filing a false police report, was filed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court early on Monday. |
| Police beating | Police beating |
| The allegations against Mr Anwar emerged early on Sunday morning. They involve an aide who has worked alongside him from the beginning of the year. Mr Anwar went to the Turkish mission on Sunday | |
| Speaking from the Turkish mission, Mr Anwar said that he feared being attacked if he left. | Speaking from the Turkish mission, Mr Anwar said that he feared being attacked if he left. |
| "I need categorical assurance on my safety," he told the French news agency AFP. "You know I have previously been assaulted to near death." | "I need categorical assurance on my safety," he told the French news agency AFP. "You know I have previously been assaulted to near death." |
| Mr Anwar was referring to a beating he received in police custody after allegations of corruption and sodomy were filed against him in 1998. | Mr Anwar was referring to a beating he received in police custody after allegations of corruption and sodomy were filed against him in 1998. |
| The former deputy prime minister described those charges as politically motivated. He was jailed, but the sodomy conviction was later overturned. | |
| He was freed from prison in 2004. However, the corruption conviction barred him from holding political office until 15 April 2008. | He was freed from prison in 2004. However, the corruption conviction barred him from holding political office until 15 April 2008. |
| On Sunday he accused the government of making up the accusations. | On Sunday he accused the government of making up the accusations. |
| "I'm now eligible to contest the elections, so they have to fabricate the same script being repeated in my earlier case in 1998, 1999," he told the BBC. | "I'm now eligible to contest the elections, so they have to fabricate the same script being repeated in my earlier case in 1998, 1999," he told the BBC. |
| But Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi denied that there was any move "to cause [Anwar] trouble or harass him or raise such issues to undermine him". | But Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi denied that there was any move "to cause [Anwar] trouble or harass him or raise such issues to undermine him". |
| The allegations come amid political upheaval in Malaysia. | The allegations come amid political upheaval in Malaysia. |
| Mr Anwar led an opposition alliance to considerable gains in March's general election. | Mr Anwar led an opposition alliance to considerable gains in March's general election. |
| They won control of the legislatures in five out of the country's 13 states, and an unprecedented 82 of the 222 seats in the House of Representatives. | They won control of the legislatures in five out of the country's 13 states, and an unprecedented 82 of the 222 seats in the House of Representatives. |
| The ruling National Front saw its worst showing in decades, prompting calls for the prime minister to resign. | The ruling National Front saw its worst showing in decades, prompting calls for the prime minister to resign. |
| Since then, Mr Anwar has said he has the support of enough lawmakers to topple the government but is waiting for the right moment. | Since then, Mr Anwar has said he has the support of enough lawmakers to topple the government but is waiting for the right moment. |