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Once again, Malaysia's Anwar bids to become prime minister
Now, Anwar, 75, is hitting the national campaign trail again, trying to convince Malaysians to vote for him in the Nov. 19 election as he looks to finally fulfil his long-held dream of becoming prime minister.
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Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim pauses during a press conference ahead of the upcoming 15th general elections in Kuala Lumpur on October 13, 2022. Malaysia's prime minister dissolved parliament on October 10, 2022 to clear the way for snap elections in a bid to restore political stability as the country emerges from the ravages of COVID-19 and a multi-billion dollar corruption scandal.
(AFP/Mohd. Rasfan)
A
fter two decades as opposition leader, Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim was poised to finally become prime minister in 2020. But his alliance collapsed from infighting, leaving him as far away as ever from the top job.
Now, Anwar, 75, is hitting the national campaign trail again, trying to convince Malaysians to vote for him in the Nov. 19 election as he looks to finally fulfil his long-held dream of becoming prime minister.
He was in his element on the stump: joking with supporters as he peppered his speech with Quranic verses and Malay folklore to condemn his rivals and burnish his leadership credentials.
"I'm optimistic," Anwar told Reuters late on Friday after a packed day of campaigning at his constituency Tambun in west Malaysia, referring to his coalition's chances of victory and changing the political landscape in multi-ethnic, Muslim-majority Malaysia.
"We are here to emphasize governance and anti-corruption, and rid this country of racism and religious bigotry," he said.
Anwar's alliance faces two other coalitions in the election - one led by incumbent Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the other by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin. There are several other parties in the running, including one founded by another former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, a factor that is expected to split the votes more than ever before.
Opinion polls predict a tight race with no single party or coalition being able to win a simple majority needed to form the government.
