Kuala Lumpur, Aug 14 (IANS) Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, facing a sodomy charge from a young aide, has promised “a clean fight” in a by-election Aug 26 through which he hopes to return to parliament and pose a threat to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s government. He asked voters to be “warriors” and fight for their “freedom” by voting in the Permatang Pauh by-election, just five days short of Merdeka, Malaysia’s Independence Day, The Star newspaper said.

Ibrahim said there would not be any “maki hamun” (cursing) and the election campaign would be based on issues.

“The present government had accused me of being the cause of the current economic and political instability. Please send me to parliament Aug 26 following which we will all go to Putrajaya to rectify the problems,” he told a rally Wednesday, The Star newspaper reported.

The by-election has been facilitated by the resignation of Ibrahim’s wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who was the opposition leader in parliament.