Anwar wins, steps closer to premiership

FE Team | Published: October 15, 2018 00:33:45

Anwar Ibrahim celebrating with her wife after winning the by-election in Port Dickson on Sunday — AP

KUA LALAMPUR, Oct 14 (Reuters): Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim won a by-election engineered for his return to parliament by an overwhelming majority on Saturday, bringing him closer to the premiership that has been promised to him by former foe, Mahathir Mohamad.
The victory marks Anwar's official return to political life just five months after he was freed from jail, and will also be the first time that both he and Mahathir are members of parliament under the same banner after a bitter feud lasting over 20 years.
Anwar, who has been the face of Malaysia's Reformasi or Reform movement over the past twenty years, won the seat by a majority of over 23,500 votes despite a low voter turnout on polling day in the coastal parliamentary seat of Port Dickson.
"Reform doesn't end in one month, or four months, or a year. Reform means cleaning up and freeing the media, removing corruption, making ethical behaviour a culture in politics," he told supporters at a victory rally, broadcast live on social media.