PAS spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat has called on Permatang Pauh voters to rally behind de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, urging them not to be taken in by the sodomy allegations made against him.

"Even though I am far away and lying on a hospital bed, I am steeling myself to appeal to all Malaysians irrespective of race, religion or political creed to reject the culture of lies and conspiracy that is before us.

nik aziz "Show your protest loudly and clearly all the way to the ballot box on Tuesday," the 78-year old said in a statement.

Nik Aziz ( left ), who was admitted to the Perdana Specialist Hospital in Kota Baru on Tuesday, also accused the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition of resorting to personal attacks in campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election.

"Umno-BN sees this by-election as crucial because a loss would take Pakatan Rakyat forward to Putrajaya. They are afraid that come Sept 16 something will happen.

"That is why Anwar has become their prime target," he said.

Sleepy hollow Permatang Pauh, a parliamentary constituency in Penang, has become the focus of national attention, drawing hordes of supporters and media ahead of next Tuesday’s balloting.

Convinced Anwar is innocent

The seat fell vacant after PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail resigned last month to pave the way for her husband Anwar to stand there and re-enter parliament if he wins.

Anwar is locked in a three-cornered fight against BN candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah and Akim president Hanafi Hamat.

Although favoured to win, Anwar come under intense attack as BN plays up the latest sodomy charge against him by his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan

anwar ibrahim ceramah in permatang pauh by election 210808 03 Not only has the Umno headquarters been showing nearly non-stop a video clip of Saiful swearing on the Quran that he had indeed been sodomised by Anwar, large screens running the same video too have been planted at strategic points in the constituency.

But Nik Aziz is adamant that Anwar ( right ) is innocent.

"I am convinced Anwar is a victim of political conspiracy. I also hold to my opinion that the recent oath taken by his accuser is questionable and doubtful," said. Nik Aziz.

"Even though he has been humiliated and persecuted in the worst manner 10 years ago, I see his enemies are inhuman and never satisfied with their evil treatment of him.

"Using the same methods, they have once again accused him of that deed that I am too disgusted to state," he added.

‘A political conspiracy’

Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, was sacked from government in 1998 by ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and jailed on sodomy and corruption charges that Anwar says were framed by political enemies.

He was freed in 2004 and the sodomy conviction has since been overturned by the courts.

But the 61-year old has been slapped with a fresh round of sodomy accusations, this time by Saiful.

Anwar has pleaded not guilty, claiming a political conspiracy to stop him and his alliance from taking power on Sept 16 via defecting MPs from the ruling BN coalition.

Permatang Pauh: Mother of all by-elections