PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim went to the Turkish Embassy on his own and not on an invitation from Ambassador Barlas Ozener, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said.

He said Ozener told him that Anwar had come on 'his own accord for a visit' and at the end of the visit, had asked if he could be there for some time.

Ozener was summoned to Wisma Putra yesterday to explain claims by Anwar that he was invited by the ambassador to seek refuge at the embassy.

'We accepted the ambassador's explanation that there was no invitation on his part for Anwar to seek refuge at his place.

'His presence there was also not for political asylum and just on humanitarian grounds.

'We take his explanation at face value until there comes a time when we perceive it differently,' he told reporters after a 45-minute meeting with Ozener here yesterday.

Dr Rais, however, did not elaborate what Ozener meant when he said Anwar was at his residence on a 'humanitarian matter'.

Anwar, who was accused by an aide of sodomising him, had sought shelter at the Turkish Embassy on Sunday.

Dr Rais said Malaysia was concerned that getting protection or shelter from foreign missions would become a trend for those who violated the country's law.

'I believe that Anwar is doing this for political purposes. I don't think his claim that his life is being threatened is genuine or he would want to get protection from our authorities and let them take action against the perpetrators.

'I don't know what Anwar has to fear. Why fear? He is such a brave, eloquent and resourceful personality. To use embassies for his international political gambit is rather out of taste,' he said.