The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf

A Shepherd-boy, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, brought out the villagers three or four times by crying out, "Wolf! Wolf!" and when his neighbors came to help him, laughed at them for their pains.

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Accordingly to Malaysiakini, Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim walked out from the Turkish embassy in Kuala Lumpur at 6.45pm today where he took refuge after being hit with sodomy accusations. He was accompanied by his wife, lawyer and being guarantee of safety from 3 ministers.

It is not clear if Anwar was seeking political asylum but, in a late posting on his blog, Anwar said he would remain there until the government guaranteed his safety as well as that of his family

Top Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) officials did not dismiss a possible standoff between Anwar and the authorities who want to interview him in connection with the alleged sodomy of his 23-year-old aide.

In an earlier posting from the embassy, he stated that he had evidence to prove that the two had allegedly fabricated evidence in cases launched against him in 1998.

I am issuing this statement from within the embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Kuala Lumpur. I was transported to the embassy earlier this morning fearing that my personal safety was in danger. I thank all those who offered to assist me in this time of need and am grateful to the Turkish Ambassador for extending an invitation to seek refuge within the Embassy.

Since the March 8th elections, numerous credible sources from within the government and military intelligence have advised me that certain agents from within Barisan Nasional leadership have initiated plots to cause harm to me or my family or my supporters. I have been told that my assassination has not been ruled out as means to subvert the people’s will and bring an end to the transformational changes taking place in Malaysia.

Notwithstanding the threats which are intended to silence my voice, I intend make public new evidence implicating that the Inspector General of the Police Musa Hassan and the Attorney General Gani Patail engaged in criminal acts of fabricating evidence in cases launched against me in 1998.

The allegations that have been made against me on Saturday are nothing more than a replay of the events which transpired in 1998 when I was sacked from the office of the Deputy Prime Minister, jailed and beaten, and then charged and convicted by a kangaroo court for crimes which I never committed. This charade was orchestrated by a corrupt Barisan Nasional leadership which made use of the entire apparatus of the state power including its control of the judiciary, the police force, and its grip on the mainstream media. These actions are being repeated today to undermine the forces of reform and renewal which were unleashed in the March 2008 elections.

I would like to assure my family, friends and supporters in Malaysia that I am safe and remain committed as ever before to continuing the struggle for a free and just Malaysia.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak today guaranteed Anwar's safety, saying it wasn't government policy to harm politicians.

``We can assure him of his personal safety,'' said Najib. ``He has never been harassed while he was going around campaigning as an opposition leader.''

`Not Political'

Najib also denied Anwar's assertion that the sodomy charge was a government conspiracy. ``This is not a political prosecution. It's a question of the law,'' he said.

"This sodomy allegation is a devastating development that can radically affect Anwar’s ambitions to win state power and implement the fundamental reforms the country needs," said a senior political scientist with the National University of Malaysia, who declined to be named for fear of reprisal from the authorities.

"Luckily the credibility level of the present government and especially the police is rather low and most people will reject the allegations unless hard evidence is offered," he said. "My fear is that national politics will plunge into turmoil as Anwar fights to defend his reputation," he explained. "There will be so much distraction that the reform agenda will be sidelined."


Meanwhile, Anwar said the allegations were aimed at derailing his spectacular political comeback as the figurehead of the opposition which made unprecedented gains in March elections, and came just as he was about to re-enter parliament.

"This is their intention. You know we will announce a by-election this week. I will contest in the by-election, the police knew that," he said. [...]

"Umno members and MPs have promised to come out and campaign for me so they come out with these sexual allegations to stop me from securing power," he said.

(Source: Screenshots)