Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Monday vowed to topple the prime minister despite what he called attempts to "demonise and intimidate" him.
Anwar said allegations of sodomy levelled by a 23-year-old male aide showed he posed a threat to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's National Front coalition, which has ruled Malaysia for more than 50 years.
"We are on track to take over the government. We want to pursue this agenda for reform," a smiling Anwar told reporters.
"Clearly, I am a political threat."
Anwar spent a night in police cells last week after he was arrested on sodomy allegations he says the government fabricated to prevent him from seizing power.
"What is the issue? I have not seen the (police) report (made by Saiful)," he said.
Anwar's Keadilan party aims to establish a new coalition government by the end of the year, its information chief told AFP.
"We are confident a change of government will happen by year-end," said Tian Chua.
A return to parliament would be the next step in the political rehabilitation of Anwar, who was sacked as deputy premier in 1998 and jailed on sodomy and corruption charges.
The sex conviction was later overturned, but the corruption count barred him from public office until April.
Fired up by Anwar's charismatic presence, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance made unprecedented gains in March general elections, leaving it just 30 seats short of ousting the ruling coalition.
But the accusation by aide Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan that Anwar sexually assaulted him threatens to derail the former deputy premier's political comeback.
On Monday, Saiful's father Azlan Mohammad Lazim said his son was "ready to swear at any time ... in a mosque ... that he was sodomised as reported to the police, once the investigations are over."
Anwar has refused to provide a DNA sample to police saying he feared the evidence would be manipulated, but on Monday Saiful's lawyer urged him to cooperate.
"Saiful is urging Anwar to give his DNA sample and to cooperate with the police to speed up the investigation," Zamri Idrus told reporters.
"I was appointed in July as Saiful's counsel and I saw him just a few days ago. We are asking Anwar to give greater cooperation to the police and we push for a quick resolution to the investigation," he said.
Anwar Monday condemned police over his arrest last Thursday, when he spent a night in a cell and underwent a strip search.
"Why ambush and arrest me? Why put me in a cell? Why treat me like a common criminal? There is a pattern to demonise and intimidate me," he said.
The comments came as Malaysia's police chief filed a defamation lawsuit accusing Anwar of fabricating evidence.
Anwar has accused Musa Hassan and attorney general Abdul Gani Patail of manipulating evidence in an investigation into an alleged beating he received while in police custody ten years ago.
Anwar welcomed the lawsuit, saying he was prepared to face Musa in court.
"I will deal with this in court. I am happy to take him to court," Anwar told reporters after giving a statement to prosecutors.
Agence France-Presse - 7/21/2008 11:14 AM GMT
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