The timing of sodomy allegations against Anwar Ibrahim has raised suspicions of a conspiracy, coming shortly after he emerged as an unprecedented threat to the government's 50-year rule.

anwar ibrahim freed from police ipk detention pc 170708 06 The 60-year-old opposition leader had only just mounted an astonishing political comeback after his downfall a decade ago when he was sacked as deputy premier and jailed on sodomy and corruption charges.

After wresting a third of parliamentary seats in March elections, his ambitions of seizing power with the help of government defectors have been stalled by the allegations he assaulted a 23-year-old male aide.

Despite agreeing to submit to police questioning, he was arrested yesterday by commandos in balaclavas who swooped on his car near his home, and held overnight in dramatic scenes criticised as an over-reaction.

"The latest developments indicate we are moving towards a police state," said Param Cumaraswamy, an adviser to Anwar and a former UN special rapporteur on legal issues.

"It is no doubt a little difficult for a political party that has been in power for 50 years to have such a large opposition in parliament now. I think they are fearful of losing power," he said.

"Whatever is happening, it is very counterproductive to the government. It is certainly not going to put the government in a positive light."

Cynicism of government running high

The March elections have redrawn the political landscape by establishing an opposition with a real chance of unseating the mighty Barisan Nasional coalition.

With so much at stake, the timing of the new accusations against Anwar is extraordinary.

Cynicism towards the government is running high and the Merdeka Centre research firm said its surveys found that just one in 10 Malaysians believe the allegations against Anwar.

Whatever the rights and wrongs, many citizens have lost their faith in the judiciary and police which BN has been accused of using for its own ends during the long years in power.

"There is a significant amount of public scepticism over the allegations towards Anwar, and also whether or not the case is genuine or if it's politically motivated," said Merdeka Centre pollster Ibrahim Suffian.

However, he said that the mass protests which greeted Anwar's arrest a decade ago are unlikely to be repeated since the elections gave the opposition a more prominent stage to air its views.

"The Malaysian public has matured a lot since 1998," he said. They may not come out on the streets but they may certain use their vote differently."

- AFP