KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has asked Bursa Malaysia and the Securities Commission to take action against those who appear to be manipulating the stock market with unfounded political rumours.

In a statement today, the PKR president said he was aware that several listed stocks on Bursa Malaysia had seen "extraordinarily active trading and gains recently on the basis that the counters are linked to me”.

He stressed that he was in no way connected to those stocks, which were likely experiencing brisk trade due to speculation that he could be the next prime minister.

"I want to stress that I have no financial interests whatsoever in these stocks.”

”I want to take this opportunity to remind all investors to invest carefully and not to invest in rumours,” he said in the brief statement.

Anwar’s statement comes on the eve of his audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, where he is expected to provide proof of the "strong, convincing” majority of MPs said to be backing him in his bid to unseat the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

On September 23, Anwar announced that he had enough support in the Dewan Rakyat, effectively ending the PN administration led by Muhyiddin.

However, Anwar did not divulge the number of MPs or who they were, instead stating that the the Agong should be the first to be briefed on the matter.