Anwar vows a 'by-election return'

PETALING JAYA: One way or another, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is determined to make a political comeback.

Alleging he has been denied the right to contest in this general election, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser announced yesterday he would make a grand return to parliament via a by-election.

Anwar is serving a ban from holding political office due to his jail sentence after he was convicted on corruption charges. The ban ends on April 14.

PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was recently reported as saying she would gladly vacate her Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat, if she wins again for the third time, to make way for her husband.

At the launch of PKR's manifesto at his office here, Anwar said others who agreed to step down for him were his daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar and the party's information chief Tian Chua. Nurul Izzah and Tian Chua are facing an uphill task against incumbent Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and newcomer Lim Si Pin, respectively for the Lembah Pantai and Batu parliamentary seats.

--NST