Police break up Anwar protest

Opposition leaders say three people were arrested

Police in Malaysia have broken up a demonstration by supporters of the former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, outside a court building in Kuala Lumpur.

A verdict on the charge of sodomy against Mr Anwar had been due on Friday but it has now been postponed indefinitely.

Mr Anwar was dismissed by the Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998. He is already serving a six-year jail term for abusing his official powers.

There has been a series of violent demonstrations and riots following Mr Anwar's sacking.

Opposition activists say the decision not to announce the verdict in the year-long sodomy trial was driven by fear of a massive anti-government rally near the court.

The government denied that had anything to do with it.

Arrests

Activists had planned a large rally to co-incide with the now postponed sodomy verdict

Opposition leaders say three people were arrested as riot police moved in to disperse the gathering, which had been declared illegal.

"We told them to break-up, but they refused to, so we had to make the arrest," a police official said.

The anti-government demonstrators held up posters of Mr Anwar and shouted "reformasi" (reform).

This was a popular slogan of Mr Anwar's call for the end of corruption, cronyism and nepotism which he alleged was being practised by Dr Mahathir's administration.

Verdict postponed

The protesters were scattered outside the court house building, which is opposite Merdaka Square (Freedom Square), scene of some of the worst anti-government protests in Malaysia's history following Mr Anwar's sacking and arrest.

A guilty verdict could add several years to the six-year jail sentence that Mr Anwar was given for corruption last year.

Under Malaysian law, sodomy is punishable by maximum imprisonment of 20 years and whipping with a rattan cane.

Mr Anwar has always denied all the charges against him saying they were fabricated to end his political career.