Anwar Ibrahim looked up to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad as a substitute father. Now he feels like an abused and confused son. 'I do regard Mahathir certainly as a father figure, though not all fathers treat their children properly,' Mr Anwar said yesterday afternoon as he sat beside his wife in their home, trying to rationalise the events of the past 48 hours. Considering the fate which could await him - arrest and detention without trial - he was still speaking of Dr Mahathir, 73, with the utmost respect. 'It is unfortunate,' Mr Anwar said. 'He has done great things too. I would like to put on record his services in the past.' Perhaps he is in denial, perhaps he had taken legal advice, but, virtually alone among Malaysians, Mr Anwar would not name Dr Mahathir as being behind what he says was a conspiracy to engineer his downfall. 'I can't establish if the PM is directly involved,' Mr Anwar said. 'But I have pledged my loyalty to him.' Mr Anwar, 51, is clearly stunned, as is the nation. Thousands of supporters headed to his sprawling official residence on Wednesday night. Hundreds were at his side again yesterday. Mr Anwar, his residence encircled since Wednesday by armed riot police, insists he is still free to come and go as he pleases, and demonstrated that by moving with his wife and six children back into the private family home. He is, however, barred from going to any of his offices, which have been sealed off by police. Mr Anwar implied that Dr Mahathir had started to feel threatened about the time Indonesia's president Suharto was forced from power in May. Asked whether Mr Anwar could still one day be prime minister, one of his supporters, Azmil Ismail, said: 'Why not?' Asked if this meant Dr Mahathir might suffer Mr Suharto's fate, Mr Azmil said: 'Why not?'
