Call for sacrifice

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (AFP) - Thousands of Malaysians attended a rally on Saturday which called for "sacrifices" to topple the ruling National Front.

Up to 6,000 people gathered at a football field in Petaling Jaya, just outside Kuala Lumpur, to hear speakers led by Anwar Ibrahim's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

The rally was staged by the opposition Parti Rakyat (People's Party of) Malaysia and attended by other opposition parties.

"We must continue the struggle for reform," said Azizah, the president of the newly formed National Justice party.

Often referred as "Kak Wan" ("Elder Sister Wan") by her supporters, the serene looking Azizah was greeted by the thunderous chanting of "reformasi" by the audience.

In a low voice, she said her youngest daughter had a fever and asked for her father. "I told her he is being kept in a small room," she said.

"But this is a struggle. A struggle needs sacrifices to bring changes and to ensure justice," she said.

Azizah also accused the government of abusing its power and took a swipe at the special treatment accorded to Abdul Rahim Noor, the former inspector-general of police, when he was summoned to court on Thursday on charges that he beat Anwar while in custody.

"He was not put in the dock but given a chair to sit on outside the dock," she cried.

Rahim pleaded not guilty to attempting to injure Anwar.

Azizah reminded voters to cast their votes in a way to bring changes in the political leadership of the country for the good of the people.

Sanusi Osman, secretary-general of PRM, described street demonstrators as "warriors", adding that supporters of the reform movement should not be afraid to chant "reformasi."

"We hope that in the coming election, we will not only topple Mahathir but also the ruling National Front coalition," Sanusi said.

Malaysia is scheduled to hold general elections some time over the next year with the five-year term of the federal parliament expiring in April next year.

Supian Mohamad Nordin, a senior member of Parti Islam Semalaysia (PAS), said opposition parties needed to drop suspicion of each other and concentrate on trying to defeat Mahathir.

"Each time we try to challenge the National Front, we are unable to unite. Without unity, please do not dream we can topple the ruling party," he warned.

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