Published September 24, 2008

Opposition starts transfer of power talks with govt

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(KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia's Opposition said yesterday that it has begun negotiations with the ruling coalition over a transition of power, after it claimed to have signed up enough defectors to topple the government.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has refused to meet with Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim but officials said that contacts are being made through intermediaries.

'There is initial contact between our middleman and Mr Abdullah's middleman,' said Tian Chia, information chief of Mr Anwar's Keadilan party.

'Our intention in holding them is for a transition of power to the Opposition but I cannot speak for the other side,' he told AFP. 'So far it looks good and we will wait to see what happens.'

Mr Chua said that contact was made initially during the weekend and that more than one meeting had taken place.

Mr Anwar said earlier this month that he had the support of more than 31 lawmakers from the ruling coalition but refused to release the list of names until PM Abdullah agreed to a meeting.

The premier dismissed Mr Anwar's claims as bluff and has shown no sign of stepping down even as he faces another challenge from cabinet ministers who have called on him to quit before his scheduled departure in 2010.



PM Abdullah has been fighting for his political life since a March general election handed the Opposition unprecedented gains and plunged the coalition into disarray.

Ruling party insiders say that he is now under intense pressure to quit by the end of the year. -- AFP