Anwar Ibrahim on comeback trail
Updated
It's taken him a decade, but the man once marked out to be Malaysia's future prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, is poised to make a remarkable political comeback.
Voters in a small seat in the northern state of Penang are tipped to return Mr Anwar to parliament, ten years after he was sacked and jailed for sodomy and corruption. Mr Anwar is determined that this time the top job won't elude him.
Presenter:Karen Percy
Speakers: Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Keadilan; Abdullah Badawi, Malaysian Prime Minister
KAREN PERCY: Anwar Ibrahim began the Parti Keadilan Rakyat a decade ago when he was forced out of the ruling party and the government. Now the People's Justice Party is the strongest link in a new people's alliance, a coalition of opposition parties which is testing the ruling Barisan Nasional which has dominated Malaysian politics.
For Mr Anwar this by-election is personal.
ANWAR IBRAHIM: This election is not about the future of this country, it is not about saving Malaysia. This is about Anwar.
KAREN PERCY: While he has never really left politics he is preparing for a new start in the national parliament sitting opposite those who were once colleagues and friends. He's told the ABC a fresh set of sodomy allegations will not stop him.
ANWAR IBRAHIM: It's not a matter of morality or sex, it's clear blatant abuse of power to deflect attention from the gross mismanagement and corruption.
KAREN PERCY: So far the Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is playing it cool.
ABDULLAH BADAWI: It doesn't matter with whether he loses or whether he wins as far as I'm concerned, I have my government to look after and to get on with local development, that is what I'm more concerned with.
KAREN PERCY: Mr Anwar is set to make his move in mid-September. By then he says he'll have the 30 MP's needed to force a change in the government. While it seems hard to imagine that could happen to a political force that's been in power for more than five decades, based on his past performance it would be foolish to dismiss Mr Anwar out of hand.
- Listen:
- Windows Media
