Tag: Wan Azizah Wan Ismail

This leads to an interesting question that has been the subject of much speculation in the Kuala Lumpur political class for the past few months: How will DSAI and incumbent Mahathir Mohamad co-exist in parliament? The Port Dickson by-election will be held merely five months after the recent general election. With Anwar back in parliament in October, some said it sure looks like the Anwar political dynasty is up and running. Part of the fear comes from their belief that Anwar will be a political liability among the rural Malay voters in the next general election. If PH does not keep the rural Malay vote, there is a real possibility that PH may be a one-term government. Rafizi Ramli, running for PKR’s deputy presidency post, openly claimed that he was running for the position to help Anwar clinch the pinnacle position of PM, and that if he loses the deputy presidency’s post to Azmin Ali, Minister for Economic Affairs and former Selangor chief minister, Anwar may not succeed Mahathir as PM - as Mahathir is said to be secretly backing Azmin to derail Anwar’s plans. Mahathir’s party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), only has 13 MPs. There is every reason to think that more UMNO MPs and state assemblymen will leave UMNO in the coming months. He cannot join the Cabinet unless his wife agrees to give up the seat of deputy PM to him. Under Malaysia’s political system, if anything happens to Mahathir, the incumbent Deputy PM takes over automatically.

Error 5 Mahathir's Return Adds Pressure to Malaysian Bonds Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim is a free man just one week after his coalition’s shock election win and after more than three years in jail. Still, while it clears the way for him to return to politics, it’s unlikely he will take over as premier anytime soon. He met with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad -- his partner in the ruling Pakatan Harapan alliance -- and Anwar’s party plans a public celebration tonight. It’s a decision to be made by a team of leaders from Pakatan Harapan, with Dr M who is the chief steward in the entire process.” Anwar added he planned to rest and carry out some speaking commitments at universities. “I think I need that time, that space.” His release is a moment to celebrate for a group which labored in opposition for decades and faced constant pressure from those in office -- he’s been jailed twice on sodomy convictions and also for abuse of power. Mahathir, 92, promised during the campaign to stand aside for Anwar once he was pardoned but is now pushing back the potential timeline by a matter of years. “He has to take an outsider role, and give possible advice -- becoming an elder statesperson.” Mahathir has indicated any power shift will take time. There have been signs of tension in the four-party coalition in the election aftermath, including public squabbles over the way cabinet posts are decided. “He is leader of one of the coalition parties,” he said of Anwar. There will be no more special powers given, excepting as is given to ministers or deputy ministers or deputy prime ministers.” — With assistance by Isabel Reynolds, and Anisah Shukry

Malaysia's king has agreed to pardon a politician whose case has gripped national politics for two decades, says new PM Mahathir Mohamad. Anwar Ibrahim, once considered a potential future leader, was jailed on charges of corruption and sodomy after falling out with the government. But Mr Mahathir, the PM under which he was first jailed, just won an election on a pledge of freeing him. He has indicated he will hand power to Anwar within a few years. "It is going to be a full pardon which of course means that he should not only be pardoned, he should be released immediately when he is pardoned. Both he and Anwar were formerly in power, as part of the BN, as prime minister and deputy respectively. Though sodomy is illegal in conservative Muslim Malaysia people are seldom convicted for it, so his case was widely seen as an attempt by the government to remove a political threat. In 2004 his conviction was overturned and he led the opposition to unprecedented gains - though not victory - in the 2008 and 2013 general elections. It remains unclear when the pardon will be issued, and Mr Mahathir warned his supporters that the process of Anwar becoming an MP again so he can take on the leadership "might take a long time". Mahathir Mohamad, the autocratic strongman who turned on his chosen successor Anwar Ibrahim, is now allied with him and seeking his release, having deposed Najib Razak, another one-time Mahathir protégé.