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Putrajaya: Malaysia's leader on Thursday dismissed Anwar Ebrahim's threat to seize power as a "bluff" and ruled out imposing emergency measures if street violence breaks out to protest a sodomy accusation against the opposition figurehead.
In an interview Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also promised justice would be served in the sodomy case against Anwar, the second time he is facing such an accusation.
While denying any government conspiracy, Abdullah indicated that the complaint to police made by a 23-year-old former aide of being sodomised by Anwar would not be taken lightly.
"This man pleads for justice," Abdullah said. "We care about [Anwar] more than we care about this man? That is very odd. He needs justice; that is what he is crying for.
We cannot ignore that."
Doctor's reports
The comment indicated that authorities would not be slowed down by a medical report by a doctor who examined the male aide on June 28. The doctor found no evidence of sodomy, and sent the aide to a government hospital for a second opinion.
The result of the second examination is not known, but the aide made the police complaint the same day.
Anwar says the charges were fabricated to stop him from challenging the government. After leading the opposition to spectacular results in the March general elections, Anwar has been threatening to bring down the government with parliamentary defections.
Asked whether Anwar was bluffing, Abdullah said that "so far, it is going toward that direction. "Whether he bluffs or not [it seems] he wants to keep his popularity afloat all the time like a stock market share," Abdullah added.
He ruled out imposing emergency rule if Anwar's supporters hold street protests to denounce the latest accusation.
"I don't think we are going down that road; definitely not," he said.
Abdullah said he believes Anwar is trying to bribe government lawmakers to defect.
"I've heard so much stories, many stories of his buying, tempting them with monetary offers to cross over to the opposition," he said.
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