FROM MALAYSIAKINI-ROADBLOCKS SET UP AMID PROTEST FEARS

Roadblocks set up amid protest fears
Jul 13, 08 2:30pm
Police have put up road blocks in the capital as they brace for protests ahead of a possible debate of no confidence in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tomorrow.
MCPX
The opposition called on Friday for the debate after Abdullah said he would remain in office until mid-2010 despite his party's drubbing in March elections.
The parliament speaker will decide on Monday whether to allow the debate to go ahead.
Police said several roads leading to the parliament building would be sealed off tomorrow and urged people not to protest, although the Keadilan opposition party denied Sunday it had called for any demonstrations. All police leave has also been cancelled.
"The government is paranoid. We just called our supporters to witness the debate, but authorities think it will be a mass gathering. There is no need for the roadblocks," said information chief Tian Chua.
Tian also said opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was today banned from going anywhere close to parliament.Anwar has earlier expressed the intention to go to Parliament to hear the no-confidence debate.
"Police came to Anwar's home today and presented the court order restricting him from going near parliament on Monday. If Anwar breaches the order, he could be arrested and charged in court," he told AFP.
The court order will allow the police to arrest on sight if Anwar and opposition supporters are spotted within five kilometres of Parliament.
Two rebel MPs to back motion
Two rebel lawmakers from Abdullah's ruling BN coalition have vowed to back the opposition debate.Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) parliamentarians Eric Enchin Majimbun and Chua Soon Bui have pledged their vote for an opposition motion of no-confidence against Abdullah.The embattled prime minister, fearing that his deputy Najib Razak would challenge him at the party polls in December, has announced last week that he would be retiring in two years.The BN coalition has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957 but its popularity has fallen due to political scandals and a recent sharp increase in fuel prices.
In the March polls, the opposition alliance won a record number of 82 seats in the 222-seat lower house of parliament.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim - who has said he has the numbers to oust the government with the help of defecting lawmakers - has promised to slash fuel prices if he comes to power.
The opposition alliance needs an additional 30 seats to win a simple majority and form the new government.