Wan Azizah, Selangor Chief top candidates to replace Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR — Anwar Ibrahim’s wife and the Chief Minister of Selangor are two leading candidates to replace opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who returned to prison yesterday after failing to overturn his conviction for sodomy.

The three-party Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition will meet on Friday to decide who will be its new leader.

Observers say the front runners are Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail — Anwar’s wife and president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) — and Selangor Chief Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali, also from PKR.

Of the two, Dr Wan Azizah has had the experience of being parliamentary opposition leader in 1999 the first time her husband was jailed.

However, questions have emerged on whether she can unify the coalition, given the testy relationship between PKR’s two partners in the pact.

Leaders from Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) have, in recent weeks, been trading barbs over local council elections and hudud, or Syariah law, which the PAS-led Kelantan government wants to implement in the east coast state.

Political scientist Shaharuddin Badaruddin said Dr Wan Azizah would be up to the job as the new opposition leader as she has headed PKR for 15 years.

Dr Wan Azizah was also one of the few personalities accepted by both PAS and the DAP, noted Professor James Chin, director of the Asia Institute at Tasmania University. “But the problem is, if Dr Wan Azizah is chosen again, it would make PKR look as if it is a party dominated by one family without room for anyone else,” said Prof Chin.

Mr Azmin has also emerged as a possible candidate, owing to his experience in politics and long-lasting ties with Anwar.

Mr Wan Saiful Wan Jan, executive director of the think-tank Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, said Mr Azmin was the better bet to replace Anwar.

“Of the three parties in the PR, the opposition leader usually comes from PKR, because PAS is seen as too Malay and the DAP as too Chinese. PKR is the party in the middle. Like it or not, PKR needs to put forth a suitable candidate and right now, the most senior and most qualified is Azmin. Azmin’s advantage is that he is a (Chief Minister) and that means he has resources,” Mr Wan Saiful said.

For political scientist Mohamad Abu Bakar of Universiti Malaya, what was more important than who replaced Anwar was whether PR could continue without him. “If all are united, Anwar’s absence will not be a big issue. The general election is also a long way off. If there is conflict, it is best that it happens now before the election,” said Prof Mohamad.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER