Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's political future hinged on a by-election this week, which he won by a landslide victory.
The former deputy prime minister's tumultuous career has seen him rise to the peak of political power, only to be beaten and jailed, and then return to prominence as the leader of Malaysia's resurgent opposition.
This crucial vote will return him to parliament after a decade-long absence.
The March elections handed the opposition control of five states and a third of parliamentary seats.
Now, Anwar has to persuade 30 lawmakers to switch sides from the ruling coalition in order to gain the majority needed to form a new government.
"We declare victory, the margin is very huge," said Tian Chua, information chief of Anwar's Keadilan party which leads a three-member opposition alliance. The official tally showed Anwar had won 27,977 votes, against 13,426 for his opponent from the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has dominated Malaysian politics for half a century.
Malaysia's ruling coalition on Tuesday declared defeat in a by-election against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. "Yes of course we have lost," said Muhammad Muhammad Taib, information chief of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) which leads the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. "We were the underdogs going into this race."
Malaysia's Election Commission on Tuesday angrily rejected opposition claims it had rigged the voter list for a critical by-election expected to return Anwar Ibrahim to parliament. The commission's secretary Kamaruzzaman Mohamad Nor said claims by Anwar's Keadilan party that a new electoral roll for the Permatang Pauh constituency had been manipulated were "completely unfounded."
Anwar Ibrahim's party said Tuesday its exit polls indicate he has won 61 percent of the votes in a by-election expected to return him to parliament. "From our exit poll figures and what we are tracking, Anwar is safely leading in the polls and... I think that it is right to say about 61 percent," said Sivarasa Rasiah, vice president of the Keadilan party
Malaysia's opposition said Tuesday it was confident Anwar Ibrahim was headed for victory in a by-election. "From the indications we are getting, we are very confident of Anwar's lead," said Azmin Ali, vice-president of Anwar's Keadilan party. But he said that traffic gridlock on the narrow roads of the largely rural electorate in northern Penang had disrupted exit polling.
Malaysian voters in the hotly-contested Permatang Pauh by-election will decide Tuesday whether to return opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to parliament after a decade-long absence. Here are the main issues that have sparked debate in the intense 10-day campaign.
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's political future hinges on a by-election this week. Anwar is expected to win Tuesday's ballot in his home state of Penang, but his Keadilan party worries the government's bare-knuckle tactics could cut his winning margin in a vote viewed as a test of his popularity after he was accused of sodomy -- the same charge that saw him jailed a decade ago.
Malaysia is planning to force criminal suspects to give DNA samples, but denied it is targeting opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim who refused to give a sample after his arrest on sodomy charges. "It is not politically motivated and has nothing to do with Anwar. The government has been working on this bill since 2001," Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar reportedly said.
A huge crowd cheered Anwar Ibrahim as he registered for a by-election to return him to parliament, the next step in his plan to become prime minister. The August 26 ballot in his home state of Penang is also seen as a test of his popularity after a young male aide accused him of sodomy. "I am touched by the support," Anwar said.
"By swearing in God's home's that I was sodomised by my employer, I challenge Anwar Ibrahim to swear and to do it in a mosque, to deny my allegations." Anwar has said that the allegations are a government conspiracy to prevent him from seizing power. Sodomy is a serious offence in Malaysia, a conservative and predominantly Muslim nation, and carries a penalty of 20 years' imprisonment.
The women's wing of Malaysia's ruling party has reportedly declared a "jihad" or holy war to prevent opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim returning to parliament in a by-election this month. "It is a jihad because this individual should not be given the chance to destroy the country's political stability and prosperity," women's wing deputy chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said according to The Star newspaper.
Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad has denied speculation he will run against his arch-foe, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, in a by-election expected to return Anwar to parliament. Anwar was Mahathir's deputy and heir apparent until 1998 when he was sacked and jailed on sodomy and corruption charges widely seen as retribution for challenging his one-time mentor.
