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Wife vacates seat for Anwar

SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s first woman leader of the opposition Wan Azizah on Thursday vacated her seat in the House of Representatives to force a by-election, which her husband Anwar Ibrahim could contest to stage a political comeback.

Mr. Anwar, now politically beleaguered over a new complaint that he sexually assaulted a male aide, was convicted and imprisoned on a similar charge several years ago. He was judicially acquitted in that case in 2004. However, he was barred from the snap general election in March due to a “corrupt practice” case.

Announcing her decision in Kuala Lumpur, Ms. Azizah said the Permatang Pauh constituency, where she first contested in 1999 when her husband was in jail, was actually his political turf. Mr. Anwar held that seat from 1982 until September 1998, when he was expelled from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, which remains in power to this day.

Between September 1998 and April 14, 1999, when he was convicted, he represented the constituency as Independent. Lim Kit Siang, a veteran parliamentarian and erstwhile opposition leader, told The Hindu that he was duly informed of Ms. Azizah’s move.

Mr. Lim said there was “no split” now within the opposition People’s Pact, with the constituent Parti Islam Se-Malaysia clarifying that its dialogue with the ruling coalition did not imply any form of cooperation between the two. Opposition unity was important in the new context, he indicated.

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