Power war casts disturbing shadow

Former deputy Premier Anwar Ibrahim, who also held the post of Finance Minister, was holed up at home on Thursday. In a scenario worthy of a cheap thriller, Anwar was awaiting possible criminal charges on allegations of sexual misconduct or even for allegedlydivulging state secrets.

Riot police surrounded the posh neighbourhood on Wednesday night where both Anwar and Mahathir reside. Hundreds of supporters streamed into Anwar8217;s home in a show of solidarity. Yet foreign athletes swimmers, divers, runners, shotputters and hockey players lumbered and glided through the city, for the most part ignoring the political drama unfolding around them. Those competing have focused instead on the September 11 opening of the Commonwealth Games.

quot;I think the athletes are all quite pleased. The Australians said things are great,8221; Chandra Shekran, the media manager for the Games, said. The spokesman said he wasn8217;t sure how much the participants were aware of the political events transpiring just a few kilometers miles away from their training areas.

quot;Foreign teams give thumbs-up to facilities at Games village,8221; the English-language Daily Star newspaper said on Wednesday. The teams began arriving in Malaysia this week.

Road crews worked at full-tilt under abroiling sun, seeking to finish sidewalks and stretches of asphalt. Homeowners were urged to slap another coat of paint on the walls of their homes as a welcoming gesture for the 6,000 athletes and coaches expected to attend. The main press centre on the outskirts of the city opened earlier this week, but as of Thursday some media representatives were complaining security was lax at the site.quot;I8217;m proud to be Malaysian,quot; is the motto of this feisty country of 22 million people which has rejected any help from the International Monetary Fund during the current Asian economic meltdown. Queen Elizabeth II will close the Games on September 21, stopping in Kuala Lumpur during her only foreign voyage of the year. The organisers have been spared one headache: the haze that blanketed the city last year hasn8217;t returned.

APPEAL DISMISSED: Australian sprinter Nova Peris-Kneebone had her court appeal to run in the 100m at the Games rejected on Thursday. Peris-Kneebone, 27, took her case to the Court ofArbitration for Sport CAS in Sydney on Tuesday after Athletics Australia overlooked her for one of the three berths available in the event.

She was chosen in the 400m relay and the 200m events. Peris-Kneebone was hoping to replace Tania van Heer in the event after recording a better time than her rival during the season. Van Heer had a better placing at the selection trials.