Malaysian opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim defied warnings of arrest on Monday, refusing to meet police over sodomy accusations against him as his lawyer said only a police order would compel him to turn up.
Anwar, who is leading a charge by a rejuvenated opposition to unseat the government, challenged the police to serve an order on him, raising the stakes in a political saga that has rattled foreign investors. "There is no fear (on the part of) Anwar Ibrahim about any arrest," his lawyer Sankara Nair told reporters at Anwar's house while a dozen or so of his supporters gathered under a makeshift tent outside. "He will face the consequences as they come."
Anwar had earlier agreed to meet police on Monday to give his statement on a sodomy complaint a former aide brought against him. But Sankara said Anwar did not go as planned, in protest over an attempt by the police to serve an order on him after he had agreed to go voluntarily.
A police order requires a person to give a statement as a witness in police investigations. If a person fails to comply, police can obtain a court order to compel him to do so.
Police said they were considering various options to get Anwar to give his statement, including arrest. "We have given him the chance and the space to turn up," Federal criminal investigation chief Bakri Zinin told reporters. "We have other options to compel him to turn up." When asked whether arrest was one of the options, he said "Yes, it is one of the options."
Malaysia's protracted political problems, which began after the government's dismal showing in a March poll, have wearied foreign investors who are fearful a sudden change of government could scuttle efforts to reform the civil service and judiciary.
The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition faces its worst crisis in 50 years, hit by public anger against rising prices, political scandals and a revived opposition snapping at its heels.
Analysts warned of increasing financial fallout from the political drama. "Anwar is now on the offensive, which may cause some jitters but investors are generally looking at the whole region, at more interesting markets like Thailand and Singapore," said Stephen Kwong, a trader with AmInvestment Bank.
The Malaysian stock market ended down 0.6 percent at 1,144 points on Monday. Anwar's decision came as police blanketed parts of the city in heavy security to prevent an opposition-led rally called to show support for Anwar and a planned no-confidence parliamentary debate against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Looking to avoid a repeat of Anwar-led protests a decade ago which drew tens of thousands onto the streets, police got a court order to prevent a mass gathering outside parliament, where the opposition had tried to call for the debate.
Police deployed a fifth of the city's total police force, or 1,600 personnel, in expectation that 2,000 protestors would turn up. But the parliament speaker did not allow the motion to be debated on grounds some of the issues it raised had been dealt with in a government motion approved last month.