MALAYSIA
Anwar Ibrahim a step closer on the road from jail to power
Kuala Lumpur — Malaysia’s leader-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim will seek to return to frontline politics by contesting a local election to become a legislator next month, officials said on Thursday, a key step on his journey from prison to the premiership. Anwar, whose alliance won a shock election victory in May, is expected to easily win the October 13 poll which was triggered after an MP quit parliament to open up a seat for the veteran politician. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 93, has pledged to step aside within two years to hand power to Anwar, his former nemesis with whom he teamed up to oust scandal-plagued Najib Razak and his long-ruling coalition in the poll. Following the poll, Anwar, 71, received a royal pardon to allow his release from prison where he was serving a sentence for breaking laws against sodomy in a case that his supporters said was politically motivated. He needs to be elected to parliament to qualify to succeed Mahathir. The Election Commission set the date ...
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