Wan Azizah says, Permatang Pauh & Malaysians will be represented with Anwar in Parliament

Dr Wan Azizah

PENANG: In an exclusive interview with Channel NewsAsia, the wife of de facto opposition leader, Ibrahim Anwar, said a consensus would be reached by three parties – Parti Keadlian Rakyat (PKR), Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) – on the choice of the leader in the Malaysian legislature, in the event Mr Anwar does not succeed in the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Before the Malaysian general elections in March, Dr Wan Azizah told Channel NewsAsia that it would be the people who have to decide if they want Mr Anwar to go into Parliament, and if she should make way for him.

She said the voters in the division believe the time has now come for that.

"Anwar in Parliament is different from Wan Azizah in Parliament. There is this sense of strength, especially for the voice of the people. He is able to carry not only Keadilan, but also DAP as well as PAS.

"The price of petrol has gone down and so we are in the right direction. If Anwar can go into Parliament, you can imagine the weight of the people's voices and we are hoping he will win," Dr Wan Azizah said.

She believes that the campaign conducted by PKR has been a clean one, focusing on key issues such as the current state of the economy.

"But it has been spiced (up) somewhat or spoilt by these allegations of sodomy. You can see for sure it is political assassination by the way the case has been conducted. One day Anwar announces he is going to contest; the next day the charges and supposedly a police report (was filed) which we did not see until six weeks later," she added.

Dr Wan Azizah said she does not foresee any problems for Mr Anwar to begin his work as a Parliamentarian if he wins the by-election.

"Unless, of course, he is arrested under ISA… His name will be there, his place will be there but he will not be physically there, that's one thing. So far, the will of the people and with the international eyes on Malaysia, I don't think that will happen," she said.

That decision rests with nearly 58,000 voters in Permatang Pauh, who will cast their ballots on Tuesday.

Channel NewsAsia
25/08/08