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From: AFP
Date: 04 May 1999
Time: 06:06:42
KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (AFP) - Ousted Malaysian deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim called Tuesday for an independent committee to investigate the award of all government projects and corporate shareholdings. Anwar, serving a six-year jail sentence for corruption and facing further sodomy and corruption charges, also challenged Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to make public the companies headed by his children.
"Let Dr Mahathir disclose to the public the hundreds of companies owned by his children, especially Mirzan and Mokzani," Anwar said in a statement read by his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
"Let him establish an independent committee to investigate all privatisation projects, and the awards of shares and contracts."
Anwar also urged the premier to "disclose all assets owned by national leaders, former leaders and (Mahathir's) family members, including all bank accounts inside and outside the country."
His comments followed Mahathir's accusation at the weekend that his former protege had awarded contracts and given high corporate positions to his supporters.
Mahathir alleged that one Anwar crony, a high-profile businessman, had amassed wealth amounting to 230 million ringgit (61 million dollars).
In his statement, Anwar challenged Mahathir to prove the allegation.
Mahathir reportedly said in remarks published Tuesday that he knew there were many more who had gained from Anwar's patronage.
Many companies were compelled to appoint Anwar's associates as chairmen or directors so that "everything becomes easy," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.
Meanwhile, four opposition leaders backed Anwar's call for the premier to declare his wealth and that of his family and all cabinet ministers.
Anwar's wife Azizah who heads the National Justice Party, Parti Islam Semalaysia president Fadzil Mohamad Noor, Malaysian People's Party president Syed Husin Ali and Democratic Action Party's Lim Kit Siang also urged Mahathir to name the alleged Anwar's cronies.
In a joint statement, they accused the premier of using the mass media to "character assasinate" Anwar without allowing him to defend himself.
"It is absolutely despicable and cowardly for Mahathir to vilify Anwar after having him locked up in prison," they said.
Anwar will go to trial again on June 7 on the sodomy charge. He still faces another corruption charge and four more counts of sodomy, a criminal offence in Malaysia with up to 20 years in jail plus whipping.