Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian police on Wednesday detained opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on charges of sodomy. 

Anwar was arrested at his home soon after he had given his statements to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) on his allegations that the country's police chief and attorney general had fabricated evidence against him in 1998. 

The former deputy prime minister was about to give his statement on recent sodomy charges by a former aide, when police officers entered his home and detained him, said a spokesman from his opposition National Justice Party. 

The spokesman said Anwar's supporters have been urged to "remain calm and gather at the police station to lend our support." 

Anwar was brought to the Kuala Lumpur police station to give his statements, said his lawyer Sankara Nair. 

On Tuesday night, Anwar and Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek participated in a much-anticipated debate on fuel prices, which were recently raised by a whopping 40 per cent. The hour-long programme was broadcast live. 

Following the debate, Anwar wrote on his blog that he was anticipating arrest "any time now." 

"The debate had still gone as planned despite a situation where I am likely to be arrested by the police any time now. 

"Surely, I feel a heavy stress but this is the best way for me to relay the message to the people that it is not impossible to reduce the price of fuel," he said. 

Last month, a former male assistant lodged a report claiming that Anwar had sodomized him. 

Anwar has denied the allegations and claims that the charges are an act of political vengeance, similar to his sacking and jailing in 1998. 

Former mentor and premier Mahathir Mohamad had fired Anwar, who was subsequently found guilty of sodomy and corruption. 

He served six years in jail for the corruption charge, but was later cleared of sodomy. (dpa)