Image : Net
Anwar Ibrahim will kickstart his political comeback through a delayed by-election if the Malaysian government plans parliamentary elections in March, before a ban on the former deputy prime minister’s involvement in politics ends.
Speaking at a news briefing in Hong Kong on Thursday, Malaysia’s de facto opposition leader said that about 20 MPs had offered to stand down to clear a path for his return to electoral politics.
Mr Anwar was a leading figure in the ruling United Malays National Organisation until 1999, when he was imprisoned on corruption charges that he maintains were baseless. A subsequent sodomy conviction was overturned and Mr Anwar was released in 2004, but is banned from serving in any government or political positions until April 8. His wife, Wan Azizah Ismail, heads the opposition People’s Justice party and occupies the party’s only seat in parliament.
Abdullah Badawi, Malaysia’s prime minister, does not have to call elections until next year, but wants to hold them before, say government advisers, cutting popular fuel subsidies. An early election would also have the advantage of pre-empting Mr Anwar’s formal return to politics.
The opposition leader’s imminent return comes at an awkward time for Mr Abdullah’s Umno-dominated National Front coalition government, which is facing rising inflation, increasing crime and social tension among the country’s Indian minority over alleged racial discrimination. Only on Wednesday, Mr Abdullah warned his party leaders not to expect the landslide victory he achieved in 2004, when he took over as prime minister.
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