ReformIS
[ Berita (News) | Cari (Search) | Menu Utama (Main Menu) | Hantar Berita (Submit News) ]
From: Reuters
Date: 04 May 1999
Time: 14:43:07
KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Reuters) - Malaysia's jailed former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim and opposition parties on Tuesday challenged Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to disclose his wealth as a bitter debate on corruption intensified.
Anwar, who was sentenced last month to six years in jail for corruption and faces trial on June 7 on a sodomy charge, said Mahathir's children and "cronies" owned hundreds of companies.
"If indeed Dr Mahathir is clean, incorruptible and has not abused his powers, (he should) disclose by way of an independent committee all assets owned by national leaders, including assets of former ministers and interests of his family members and their bank accounts inside and outside the country," Anwar said in a statement.
Anwar's statement, read out to journalists by his wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, followed comments by Mahathir on Sunday that a "crony" of Anwar had amassed 230 million ringgit ($60 million).
Mahathir said he had proof of properties and huge contracts owned by Anwar's cronies.
"A crony tutored by Anwar to topple me, I discovered, has over 230 million ringgit in cash," he said.
On Monday, Mahathir told reporters the government was investigating and he would reveal the identity of the person "when the time comes".
"We know people were given positions because they were close to Anwar," Mahathir said. "Some people were appointed as directors of companies and these companies had to accept them to ensure smooth business dealings."
Tension between Mahathir and his former heir-apparent mounted last year when Anwar spoke out against corruption, cronyism and nepotism in the government.
Mahathir turned the tables on Anwar at their party's general assembly in June, releasing lists of individuals, some of them close to Anwar, who had been awarded government contracts.
Anwar was fired in September and later arrested and charged with corruption and sodomy -- allegations he has denied. Last month he was convicted of directing police to force two people to retract allegations of sexual misconduct by him.
Anwar now faces trial on an allegation that he sodomised his family's former driver, one of the two persons who wrote letters to Mahathir in 1997 denouncing the former cabinet minister. Anwar says the charges are part of a political plot against him.
In the statement read by his wife, Anwar challenged Mahathir to prove he had helped others amass wealth illegally and called for a public inquiry into all government contracts awarded in the last 10 years.
"I challenge him to expose everything and to prove that I had a hand in giving benefit to anyone," Anwar said.
The leaders of four opposition parties issued a joint statement criticising "Mahathir's character assassination of Anwar using the TV and print media without giving Anwar an opportunity to defend himself".
The opposition leaders urged Mahathir to name Anwar's alleged crony and to disclose his wealth, and that of his family and government ministers.
The statement was signed by Anwar's wife, who is president of the National Justice Party, as well as by the leaders of the Islamic fundamentalist PAS party, the Democratic Action Party and the Parti Rakyat Malaysia.