Malaysiakini | Aug 29, 2008

The Budget 2009 unveiled by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today has failed to address‘fundamental flaws’, according to new Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

“There are some sweeteners here and there but it fails to address some fundamental flaws in the economic policy, issues of efficiency, governance and endemic corruption,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby after the PM’s budget speech this afternoon.

He said these sweeteners do not commensurate with the vast increases in inflation and living cost. Hence, he added, the largely disappointing budget will not alleviate the problems and suffering of the poor.

The Budget 2009 was the first time for Anwar – who was newly sworn in as the Permatang Pauh MP yesterday – to be present in the House since 1997.

In 1997, Anwar who was then the deputy premier tabled Budget 1998 in his capacity as the finance minister. He was sacked from government the following year after an acrimonious fallout with then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

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By John Lee, The Malaysian Indsider

AUG 29 — As the Permatang Pauh by-election fades into the recesses of our memories, there is talk of it being a turning point in our country’s history. Unfortunately, this talk habitually and routinely focuses on the possibility of changing the government by Sept 16.

It ignores a simple reality: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has already made history by being the first Malay politician to ever actually win more political support through an explicitly non-racial platform. It is practically impossible to underestimate how Anwar bucked the trend; he has completely turned our understanding of politics in this country on its head.

History has already made it crystal-clear; Malay politicians who try to unite the country by appealing to a common sense of Malaysian-ness inevitably wind up heading into political oblivion. Dato Onn Ja’afar’s political career went up in flames the moment he founded the first
multiracial political party in the country, in spite of it having every conceivable advantage — it was literally the incumbent party of the time because of Onn’s towering status in Malayan politics. And it, of course, foundered completely.

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By Tan Yi Liang and Karen Arukesamy (theSun)

PETALING JAYA (Aug 28, 2008) : Tuesday’s thumping win by Parti Keadilan Rakyat de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was due to his party’s ability to win over the fence-sitters, political analysts say.

Wong Chin Huat, a journalism lecturer of Monash University Malaysia who is doing a PhD thesis on electoral systems and party politics, told theSun that Anwar had “solidly captured the middle ground” to win in Permatang Pauh.

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Malaysiakini | Aug 28, 08

Newly sworn-in Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim wasted no time getting down to business in parliament today.

No mushy hellos to former Barisan Nasional colleagues or sentimental thank-yous in his first speech after a 10-year absence, but instead, the 61-year straightaway hit the attack button, firing the first shot for his Pakatan Rakayat alliance against the ruling coalition.

“What is in question right now is the credibility of the BN-led government for tabling the DNA Identification bill for second reading without any proper consultation with experts of the subject,” he asked.

“Everyone except the BN members is questioning the bill. The bill can only be agreed upon in the context of malevolent politics and differed by all the experts out there,” Anwar said.

The former deputy prime minister was reponding to questions raised by Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak).

The Barisan MP had questioned the Bar Council’s recently issued and strongly-worded statement against the tabling of the controversial bill.

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From The Associated Press
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim rejoined Malaysia’s Parliament on Thursday, resurrecting his mission to become prime minister a decade after he was charged with sodomy and his career written off.

Hours after he was sworn in, Anwar staged a walkout to protest proposed legislation that critics say is meant to bolster a new sodomy case against him.

Anwar says his alliance is on track to topple the government by Sept. 16 with defections from the governing National Front coalition, which has ruled Malaysia since its independence from Britain in 1957.

“I am glad to be back after a decade. I really feel vindicated. I feel great,” Anwar said on Thursday.

Anwar was forced to resign his Parliament seat in 1999 amid a sodomy allegation and was jailed for six years after he was convicted of corruption and sodomizing his family driver. The sodomy conviction was overturned by Malaysia’s top court in 2004.

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From The Age

MALAYSIAN opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in yesterday in parliament, ending a decade-long political exile and taking another step towards his plan of toppling the Government.

Mr Anwar claimed a landslide victory this week in a byelection, capping a stunning comeback after he was sacked as deputy premier in 1998 and jailed for sodomy and corruption.

“I’m glad to be back after a decade,” Mr Anwar said, attacking Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has come under growing pressure to quit since March elections in which the opposition gained unprecedented ground.

“The Prime Minister has lost the mandate of the country and the nation,” Mr Anwar said, calling on Mr Abdullah, his deputy, Najib Razak, and “all their cronies” to be removed from power.

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From Times Online

Ten years after being forced from power by charges of sexual misconduct, Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as the leader of the Malaysian opposition today and repeated his promise to drive out the government of the prime minister, Abdullah Badawi.

“I am glad to be back after a decade. I really feel vindicated. I feel great,” Mr Anwar said after being sworn in as a member of parliament and immediately elected as leader by the three party opposition coalition. “Clearly the prime minister has lost the mandate of the country and the nation.”

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From The Economist

AFTER an ugly, mudslinging campaign, a by-election on August 26th in the northern constituency of Permatang Pauh may have changed Malaysia’s political landscape permanently. The stakes were high. The main opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, bidding to return to parliament, had to win convincingly to keep up the momentum of his drive to unseat the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and its allies, which have ruled since independence from Britain in 1957. The government, which lost its two-thirds majority (needed to change the constitution) in a general election in March, wanted at least to deny Mr Anwar a big majority. But he won by almost 16,000 votes, 2,000 more than in March, when his wife (with Mr Anwar above) defended the seat.

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Dari Malaysiakini

Selepas 10 tahun tidak menjejakkan kaki ke Dewan Rakyat, mantan timbalan perdana menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini secara rasmi dilantik sebagai Ketua Pembangkang.

Ahli parlimen Permatang Pauh itu, yang baru memenangi kerusi tersebut dua hari lalu, mengangkat sumpah jam 10.05 pagi tadi, sejurus selepas bacaan doa di dewan yang mulia itu.

Anwar, 61, mengangkat sumpah di hadapan Yang Dipertua, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia di Dewan Rakyat.

Yang Dipertua berkata, Anwar akan diberikan segala keistimewaan yang dinikmati oleh seorang ketua pembangkang.

Anwar yang berbaju Melayu biru tua, kemudian melangkah duduk di kerusi betul-betul berdepan dengan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

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