Malaysia's Anwar says confident of poll victory

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

PERMATANG PAUH, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Monday he was confident of winning a critical by-election despite claims of a government dirty-tricks campaign to undermine him.

The opposition has accused the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition of buying votes and stoking racial tensions in an effort to sideline Anwar, who is bidding to return to parliament in a step towards seizing power.

"It shows the level of desperation and abuse of power by the Barisan Nasional," Anwar said of the bitter campaign for Tuesday's vote, and the government's focus on sodomy charges levelled against him by a young male aide.

"I am confident, God willing, we will win, but we are fighting an entire government machinery which has spent millions of...