Malaysia marks birthday amid brewing political storm

By Jalil Hamid

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia marked its 51st birthday on Sunday with a mammoth parade that did little to mask the uncertainties a reborn opposition poses to the government's uninterrupted hold on power since independence from Britain in 1957.

Thousands of people marched in the historic Merdeka (Freedom) Square, watched by Malaysia's king and government leaders. Fighter planes and helicopters roamed the sky above.

But beneath the pomp and gala, Malaysia's embattled government is heading into major political turbulence.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says he is seeking to win over 30 defectors from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition to form a new government by his self-imposed deadline of Sept. 16.

Anwar said on Saturday his opposition alliance would not use money or blackmail to woo defectors.

"The MPs can see the trend among the people who are demanding change," he said. "That's why they are keen to support a party that is fair to all races."

Anwar's Pakatan Rakyat alliance, which made unprecedented gains in March general elections, has 82 seats in the 222-seat parliament. It needs 30 more to win a simple majority.