PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s trial on sodomy, for the second time in 12 years, has unsettled the Sabah and Sarawak chapters of the opposition party.

They see him as the 'Ancient Mariner' wearing the proverbial albatross around his neck.

The consensus in the divisions in Malaysian Borneo is that he will be doing the party, the opposition and himself a huge favour if he takes a backseat from politics until his trial is over.

NONE “Anwar ( left) can help give the lie to Umno’s propaganda that the entire PKR ship is cursed because of the dead albatross (Hindraf) around his neck,” said a Sabah east coast division leader aligned with Anwar, who has canvassed the issue in Sabah and Sarawak in recent days.

Hindraf’s fallout with Anwar and DAP is seen as a big liability, with Hindraf now working through the Human Rights Party (HRP) to create Indian seats in 15 parliamentary and 38 state constituencies in Peninsular Malaysia.

Indians are the kingmakers in 67 parliamentary seats in Peninsular Malaysia. If Pakatan Rakyat does not give room to HRP, BN is expected to win by default in the 15/38 seats, a prospect that Umno openly welcomes.

All these developments in Pakatan not surprisingly, has the opposition in Sarawak in particular, extremely worried as the state elections loom.

‘Take a break, Anwar’

Anwar’s current sodomy trial is seen by many PKR politicians in Borneo as politically motivated. A northern Sarawak PKR division leader says this is evident from the fact that sodomy cases are seldom brought to court in Malaysia.

He suggests that Anwar lie low, and go ‘away for the moment’. His suggestions are said to be echoed by many from Tawau to Kuching. They see it best that Anwar step down as Opposition Leader, take leave from Parliament and as de facto leader.

NONE Hindraf Makkal Sakthi chair P Waythamoorthy ( right ) believes there are suitable candidates to replace Anwar as Opposition Leader. He named Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, as one, if he could be persuaded to switch camps to Pakatan from BN.

In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini , Waythamoorthy speaking from London, also suggested Zaid Ibrahim as a potential Pakatan chair, Sabah’s Jeffrey Kitingan as de facto leader and recommended PKR’s deputy president Syed Husin Ali be promoted to full party president.

Whoever they chose, Waythamoorthy’s concern was that any new line-up must be able to work with Hindraf for change and reform.

Waythamoorthy opines “Anwar is afraid that he will be forgotten if he steps out from the political arena”.

However former PKR Sabah state secretary, Kanul Gindol, dispelled the notion of Anwar stepping aside saying 'a man is innocent until proven guilty'.

Gindol is also against any demand for Anwar to leave PKR, though he admits to being in the minority on the issue.