Ethnic Malay Muslims Rally In Numbers Against Mahathir

JITRA, Malaysia (AP) - More than 25,000 opposition supporters gathered in Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's home state Saturday, pledging to end the leader's 19-year control of the Southeast Asian nation.

The crowd, mostly Malay Muslims who were once Mahathir's main vote bank, gathered in a disused plantation in Jitra town in Kedah, the prime minister's home state, about 450 kilometers (280 miles) north of the capital city, Kuala Lumpur. "Our political attitude is growing mature," Abdul Hadi Awang, vice president of the fundamentalist Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS, told the crowd. "We must now remember to recognize the difference between the freedom fighters and the liars."

Organizers at one point asked the people, "Can we bring Mahathir down?" The crowd responded, "Yes! Yes!"

The gathering was organized by the PAS to mark the end of a week-long fair to celebrate the Islamic party's 50th anniversary. Fireworks lit up the sky and people appeared cheerful with no sign of riot policemen, who are regularly deployed to break up opposition rallies with tear gas and water laced with chemicals. Among those attending the rally was Azizah Ismail, the wife of jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. She heads the National Justice Party, a member of the four-party opposition coalition that also groups PAS.

The opposition to Mahathir's rule has grown louder since he fired Anwar in September 1998, calling him an immoral homosexual who was unfit to hold office. Anwar, a charismatic Islamic leader, was subsequently placed on two trials and sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison for corruption and sodomy.

Anwar, who has come to symbolize the opposition's campaign for democratic reforms, claims that Mahathir orchestrated his downfall to prevent a political challenge. Mahathir denies this. Azizah on Saturday told the crowd that her husband's spirit remained strong and urged them to step up support for the opposition. "We see how cruel our rulers are. Let the people listen and judge for themselves," she said. "Let us unite in large numbers to make a change."

The opposition alliance hopes to wrest Kedah from Mahathir's ruling party in general elections scheduled for 2004. They already control two other northern states dominated by Malay Muslims.

Mahathir still remains very powerful and controls two-thirds of the seats in national parliament. But opposition hopes have been bolstered by a victory in a November by-election in a Kedah constituency.