*Police set up road blocks amid protest fears *Mr Anwar banned from going to parliament

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - MALAYSIAN police will question opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Monday over allegations of sodomy by his former aide, a senior party official said.

Datuk Seri Anwar has vowed to fight the accusations levelled by 23-year-old Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, which he says have been fabricated by the government to prevent him from seizing power after landmark March elections.

Mr Mohamad Saiful has been under police protection since accusing Mr Anwar of sodomising him - the same charge that saw the opposition leader jailed a decade ago.

'Mr Anwar has been issued with a summons by the police to be question at 0600 GMT (2.00 pm Singapore time) on Monday', Mr Tian Chua, information chief of the opposition Keadilan party, told AFP.

The sodomy claim threatens to derail a stunning political comeback by Mr Anwar, who was sacked as deputy premier in 1998 and jailed on sodomy and corruption allegations that he said were politically motivated.

Mr Anwar has said he is poised to seize power from Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi with the help of government defectors, after his opposition alliance claimed one third of parliamentary seats and five states in March elections.

Police set up road blocks amid protest fears

Meanwhile, Malaysian police have put up road blocks in the capital as they brace for protests ahead of a possible debate of no confidence in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Monday.

The opposition called Friday for the debate after Datuk Seri Abdullah said he would remain in office until 2010 despite his party's drubbing in March elections.

The parliament speaker will decide on Monday whether to allow the debate to go ahead.

Police said several roads leading to the parliament building would be sealed off on Monday and urged people not to protest, although the Keadilan opposition party denied on Sunday it had called for any demonstrations. All police leave has also been cancelled.

'The government is paranoid. We just called our supporters to witness the debate, but authorities think it will be a mass gathering. There is no need for the road blocks,' said Mr Tian Chua, information chief.

Mr Chua also said Mr Anwar Ibrahim was Sunday banned from going anywhere close to parliament.

Police came to Anwar's home today and presented the court order restricting him from going near parliament on Monday. If Mr Anwar breaches the order, he could be arrested and charged in court', he added.

Two rebel lawmakers from Mr Abdullah's ruling National Front coalition have vowed to back the opposition debate.

The coalition has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957 but its popularity has fallen due to political scandals and a recent sharp increase in fuel prices.

In the March polls, the opposition alliance won a record number of 82 seats in the 222-seat lower house of parliament.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim - who has said he has the numbers to oust the government with the help of defecting lawmakers - has promised to slash fuel prices if he comes to power.

The opposition alliance needs an additional 30 seats to win a simple majority and form the new government. -- AFP