Anwar's Wife To Be Malaysian Opposition Leader Until He Returns To Politics

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: The wife of Malaysia's former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim will be the opposition leader in Parliament, holding the post until Anwar formally returns to politics, the opposition alliance said Wednesday (19 Mar).

Following its spectacular gains in 8 Mar elections, the multiethnic People's Justice Party, or PKR, agreed to nominate Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the parliamentary opposition leader until "Anwar Ibrahim qualifies to stand for elections," the alliance said in a statement.

A corruption conviction prevented Anwar from contesting the elections, but the legal ban on his running for office will expire in mid-April.

Wan Azizah is officially the head of PKR, but Anwar is its de-facto leader in his capacity as its adviser.

Anwar, a former deputy premier and member of the ruling United Malays National Organization, was sacked in 1998 and expelled from the party after a fallout with then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

He was charged with corruption and sodomy, and sentenced to a total of 15 years after being convicted. He has maintained the charges against him were politically motivated.

The PKR was formed while Anwar was in prison by his supporters and his wife.

Anwar was freed in 2004 when a court overturned the sodomy conviction. But his corruption conviction barred him by law from politics for five years from the day he finished serving that sentence.

Wan Azizah is expected to vacate her parliamentary seat after April so that Anwar can contest a by-election there. He is expected to win easily. Anwar also is expected to officially take over the helm of PKR.

Despite being in political limbo for nearly a decade, Anwar resurrected his career after forging an alliance between the ethnic-Chinese-based Democratic Action Party and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS, an Islamic party whose support base is among Malays.

The opposition coalition won an unprecedented 82 combined seats in the 222-seat Parliament, denying the ruling National Front coalition, which has been in power since 1957, its traditional two-thirds majority.

The statement announcing Wan Azizah's appointment was signed by Anwar and the leaders of both the other opposition coalition parties.

The post of the opposition leader in Parliament was previously held by the Democratic Action Party. But in the recent elections, the PKR emerged as the largest opposition party, winning 31 seats to the 28 for the DAP and 23 for PAS.

Parliament must convene within 120 days from 13 Feb, when the house was dissolved for elections. No firm date has been set. (AP)