Anwar claims Dr M threatened him before sacking

The supposed threat was highlighted in book by writer Ziauddin Sardar.

SUBANG JAYA: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim claimed he was threatened by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad who told him to voluntarily step down a day before his sacking as the deputy prime minister in 1998.

The PKR de facto leader further alleged that Mahathir had offered him financial compensation. Should he reject, he would be charged, the Permatang Pauh MP added.

“Mahathir told me… you have wife, a family, its better if you resign voluntarily, if not charges will be brought against you,” he told some 150 people who attended a closed-door dialogue with young professionals here.

The supposed threat was highlighted in book by writer Ziauddin Sardar. The audience during the question and answer session asked Anwar if this was true to which the opposition leader replied:
“It’s true because I told him (Ziauddin). I also went against Dr Mahathir, and was wrongfully imprisoned and subsequently beaten half to death.”

Despite the ordeal, Anwar told the audience that he held no grudges against his former mentor, and forgave him for what happened.

“He is old and senile. Leave him alone lah,” he said jokingly in reply to a question by an audience who wanted to know what would he do to the former premier if he becomes prime minister.
Anwar was sacked in 1998 and charged with sodomy and power abuse, charges he claimed were high level conspiracy to topple him.

He was later convicted and jailed for both offences but was eventually freed  in September 2004.
Anwar has since led Pakatan Rakyat to major electoral gains when they denied Barisan Nasional their customary two-thirds parliamentary majority and ousted the ruling coalition from four states while retaining one in 2008.

Much of the success is attributed to Anwar’s influence which he claimed was the reason behind a second sodomy charge.

Anwar described the second sodomy charge as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power”, singling out Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor as the masterminds.

The opposition leader is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction.