[sangkancil] Chronology of Malaysian Political Turbulence (fwd)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 21:09:07 -0500
From: ++fairplay++ <usa101@earthlink.net>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.malaysia
Subject: Chronology of Malaysian Political Turbulence
Chronology of Malaysian Political Turbulence
Reuters 04-JUN-99
KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 (Reuters) - Following is a chronology
of events leading up to the sodomy trial of Malaysia's
jailed former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, set to start
on Monday.
May-June 1998 - Tension mounts between Anwar and Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad as the deputy prime minister
repeatedly calls for political reform and an end to
cronyism.
June 24 - Mahathir promotes adviser Daim Zainuddin to the
cabinet with more say over economic policy, undercutting
Anwar.
Aug 27 - GDP figures confirm Malaysia is in its first
recession for 13 years.
Sept 1 - Malaysia announces currency controls to contain
speculation.
Sept 2 - Bank Negara, the central bank, says the ringgit
currency's exchange rate will be set for an indefinite
period.
Anwar refuses an ultimatum from Mahathir to step down.
Mahathir sacks Anwar as deputy prime minister and finance
minister.
Sept 3 - Anwar says he was the victim of a conspiracy at the
highest level. Police submit four affidavits with
allegations of sexual misconduct and other possible crimes
by Anwar.
Sept 4 - UMNO party expels Anwar. Mahathir says Anwar was
sacked from the cabinet because he was "not suitable."
Sept 12-18 - Anwar visits his village and tours several
regions of the country, including the prime minister's home
state of Kedah, speaking to thousands of supporters.
Sept 19 - Anwar's adopted brother, Sukma Dermawan, and a
former speechwriter, Munawar Anees, plead guilty in court to
being sodomised by him and are sentenced to six months in
jail.
Sept 20 - Anwar leads thousands of supporters to the
national mosque, then to Merdeka (Independence) Square in
central Kuala Lumpur where they call for Mahathir to step
down. Protesters converge on Mahathir's official residence
where riot police fire tear gas and water cannon. Police
arrest Anwar at his home.
Sept 21 - Police fire tear gas and water cannon to break up
demonstrations by several thousand protesters outside a
court house where they had expected Anwar to be arraigned.
Sept 22 - Mahathir says he has proof that Anwar had
committed sodomy and planned to incite riots to topple him.
Sept 25 - Riot police enter the national mosque to break up
protesters shouting slogans against Mahathir.
Sept 26 - Police fire water cannon to break up a
demonstration at Merdeka Square.
Sept 28 - Police break up protest near Merdeka Square, fifth
anti-government demonstration in nine days.
Sept 29 - Anwar arrives in court with a black eye and says
police beat him unconscious after he was arrested and denied
him medical attention for five days. He pleads not guilty to
five corruption and four sodomy charges.
Sept 30 - Anwar pleads not guilty to an additional sodomy
charge. Mahathir says Anwar could have provoked police to
hit him.
Oct 2 - Leading world figures condemn the reported police
assault on Anwar.
Oct 10 - More than 3,000 people stage a protest in the
capital which ends peacefully.
Oct 14 - Philippine President Joseph Estrada and Indonesian
President B.J. Habibie reiterate concern about Anwar.
Oct 17 - Police use water cannon and tear gas to break up
protest by 5,000 people outside the king's palace.
Oct 23 - Police break up protest in the capital as Mahathir
presents 1999 budget to parliament.
Oct 24 - Some 2,000 protesters clash with police in the
capital in first eruption of violence. Two policemen and a
dozen protesters sustain injuries.
Nov 2 - Anwar's criminal trial opens amid heavy security at
High Court.
Nov 7 - More than 200 protesters shout anti-government
slogans, set fires and burn a T-shirt with Mahathir's
portrait.
Nov 13 - Anwar sues Mahathir for sacking him.
Nov 15 - Police fire tear gas and water cannon at protesters
demanding an end to Mahathir's rule as Pacific Rim leaders
arrive in Malaysia's capital for a summit.
Nov 16 - U.S. Vice President Al Gore salutes "brave people"
supporting Anwar's "reformasi" (reform) movement.
Nov 17 - Malaysia accuses United States of inciting lawless
demonstrators to overthrow the government.
Nov 21 - Police fire water cannon to disperse hundreds of
anti-government protesters in capital.
Dec 2 - Anwar's former driver, Azizan, stands by allegations
he made in 1997 accusing Anwar of sodomising him.
Dec 16 - Anwar's lawyers read a letter by Anwar's adopted
brother Sukma Darmawan that says he was tortured by police
into lying that Anwar sodomised him.
Dec 23 - Anwar loses suit over sacking by Mahathir.
Jan 7 - Police chief resigns to take responsibility over
Anwar's injuries in custody.
Jan 8 - Mahathir names outgoing foreign minister Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi as deputy prime minister replacing Anwar. Anwar
sues Mahathir for injuries suffered in police custody.
Jan 13 - Judge Augustine agrees to amend four corruption
charges against Anwar, narrowing the focus of the charges.
Jan 14 - Judge Augustine rules that evidence relating to
sexual misconduct and sodomy introduced during
two-and-a-half months of testimony is irrelevant.
Jan 25 - Anwar sues Mahathir for slander, claiming $26
million in damages.
Jan 27 - Government sets up royal commission to investigate
injuries Anwar suffered in police custody after his arrest.
Feb 8 - Anwar takes the stand in his trial, saying he was
the victim of scheming cabinet colleagues who wanted to
quash corruption investigations.
Feb 9 - Judge Augustine rules out defence argument that
Anwar was the victim of a political conspiracy. A fashion
designer accused of having sex with Anwar says police
coerced him into making a false confession.
Feb 28 - Former police chief Abdul Rahim Noor admits through
his lawyer he had assaulted Anwar but says he was provoked.
March 13 - Mahathir's coalition wins victory in Sabah state
in its first electoral test since Anwar's sacking.
April 4 - Anwar's wife forms multi-ethnic political party.
April 12 - Mahathir released from hospital.
April 14 - Anwar convicted on four corruption counts and
sentenced to six years in jail, triggering four days of
anti-government street protests. Conviction draws
international criticism.
April 22 - Former police chief indicted for hitting Anwar in
custody.
April 26 - Anwar files notice of appeal against corruption
conviction and jail term.
April 27 - Prosecutors say they will pursue one sodomy
charge against Anwar and hold off on five other counts.
May 4 - Judge sets start of sodomy trial for June 7 and
orders media to restrict reporting to evidence and refrain
from publishing commentary.
May 21 - Judge says trial of former police chief, charged
with hitting Anwar, will start on September 20 -- exactly
one year from the date of the assault.
Partial thread listing: