There were no political considerations tied into the out-of-court settlement on Wednesday of his black-eye suit, former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim asserted today.

"There is no basis to indicate that the settlement has any political connotations. We are talking about a new and more vibrant agenda for Malaysians and the nation," he explained.

Throughout his time in Umno as well as after his ouster, Anwar pointed out that he has always remained committed to the struggle against injustice.

If anything, the assault and six-year incarceration had only strengthened his resolve to resume the struggle after seeing first-hand the abuses perpetrated by the authorities against ordinary persons, he added.

Anwar said this in a press conference after delivering a speech at a seminar in Kuala Lumpur organised by the Institute of Policy Research.

He was responding to a suggestion that the settlement and public apology indicated plans to rejoin the administration in order to seek an end to injustices and administrative mismanagement.

Former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia professor P Ramasamy had said the settlement was disappointing and did not vindicate Anwar as much as a public apology and damages ordered by the court would have done.

Speaking to AFP , Ramasamy said the settlement of the civil suit may be linked to the wider issue of Anwar's political future and moves to remove the political ban so that he can contest national elections due to be held in 2008.

Faced opposition

Anwar had earlier told reporters that his efforts to eliminate corruption and other ills while in government had failed as they were opposed by those who made up the very system.

"I tried to introduce changes gradually from within. For example, we strongly call for proficiency in English. Yet, we haven't even strengthened our grasp of Bahasa Malaysia.

"In the area of the economy, I introduced a vigorous Corruption Act. This was opposed by leaders not just from Umno but also from MCA, Gerakan, and MIC.

"So we tried to change things from within, but it did not produce the (desired) results because the culture of corruption was too thick and cancerous," said Anwar.

Anwar had sued for public apology and compensation from the government, then Home Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed and then Inspector-General of Police Rahim Noor for assault committed on Sept 20, 1998 during his detention after a fallout with Mahathir, who was then prime minister.

A lawyer for Rahim read out his apology in court, and later told reporters that financial compensation to be given to Anwar had been agreed upon by both parties.

Acts of injustice

Giving a personal experience of an act of injustice, Anwar recounted the case of a youth in his teens who, imprisoned for the minor offense of stealing a pair of jeans, had been assaulted and hung upside down by his feet from a fan on the ceiling and twirled around.

He also spoke of having witnessed migrant workers from Indonesia, Burma and India who had come to Malaysia to find halal means of livelihood but were imprisoned, humiliated and caned for the mere 'crime' of being undocumented.

"We shouldn't be arrogant just because we have been endowed with blessings, our behavior just like the Pharoh and (his treasurer) Qarun. These things are still happening. My point in revealing these things is to stop such injustices," he said.

After his arrest, Anwar was jailed on corruption and sodomy charges which he said were engineered to prevent him challenging Mahathir for the leadership. He was released in September last year after the sodomy charges were overturned.

However, he is barred from holding political office until 2008 under regulations governing convicted criminals.