Political tension runs high ahead of Malaysia poll

Ijok (Malaysia), Apr 19: Malaysian riot police stepped in to calm political tensions today after rival factions hurled bottles, stones and abuse at each other as the nation geared up for a possible early general election.

In heavy rain, thousands of supporters of the ruling coalition and of opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim traded insults in a small town outside the capital where a by-election will be held next week.

Police armed with batons, shields and water cannon moved in to keep the peace after about 2,000 Anwar supporters confronted a pro-government crowd of about 5,000, accusing the coalition of corruption and raising living costs.

Ethnic Malays, who dominate politics in this multi-racial society, made up the majority of both factions. Holding party flags and banners, they rallied outside a hall where candidates were to be formally announced.

Some chanted ''Reformasi'', an old war cry of Anwar's reform movement of the late 1990s, one of the most tumultuous chapters in Malaysian politics. Anwar, a former deputy premier, was arrested for leading a ''Reformasi'' protest in 1998 and jailed for six years on what he called trumped-up charges.

Several of his supporters carried a poster of Anwar headlined ''He is the best for Malaysia'' -- though Anwar is banned from standing for office until April 2008, due to his criminal record.

Other Anwar supporters touched on a raw political nerve for the coalition, shouting out ''Altantuya!'' -- the name of a 28-year-old Mongolian model murdered in Malaysia in October.

A policeman who doubled as a government bodyguard and a former adviser to the current deputy prime minister are among those accused of her murder. They have all pleaded not guilty.

'Spreading Lies'

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak has accused the opposition of spreading lies about him in relation to the case.

He said the opposition was using the murder in the by-election to try to discredit him, the New Straits Times reported today.

The coalition said several of its supporters were injured after campaigners from Anwar's Keadilan party hurled stones, sticks and bottles.

''They started it first,'' said Khairy Jamaluddin, a leader in the main ruling party and son-in-law of the prime minister.

Keadilan chief Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, wife of Anwar, denied the allegation.

The April 28 by-election in the sleepy constituency of Ijok, in central Selangor state, is shaping up as a test of the political currents that appear to be sweeping Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi toward an early election.

A general election is not due until 2009, but Abdullah is expected to hold one before April 2008, when Anwar's political ban is due to be lifted and he can stand for parliament.

The government is expected to win the Ijok by-election, but political analysts say the poll will mean more for Anwar and his Parti Keadilan than Abdullah's Barisan Nasional coalition, which has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957.

''Keadilan needs to win or lose just by a razor-thin margin to show it is relevant in the next general elections,'' said Syed Ahmad Hussein, political analyst at Malaysia's Universiti Sains. Barisan is fielding an ethnic Indian candidate and Keadilan a Malay candidate for Ijok. Malays make up just over half of the constituency, just as they do for Malaysia as a whole.

Reuters