Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Encyclopedia
The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia
formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party. Keadilan was led by Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
and increased its parliamentary representation from 1 seat to 31 seats in the Malaysian general election, 2008
until the five-year political ban imposed on former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
was lifted on 14 April 2008.
Keadilan promotes an agenda with a strong social justice
and anti-corruption
emphasis. Recently the party adopted a platform that seeks to abolish the New Economic Policy
and replace it with a policy that emphasises on a non-ethnic approach in poverty eradication and correcting economic imbalances.
(also Deputy Prime Minister), instituted a series of economic reforms and austerity measures in response. These actions were exacerbated when he tabled controversial amendments to the Anti Corruption Act that sought to increase the powers of the Anti Corruption Agency. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad disagreed with these measures and ultimately sacked Anwar from all his posts.
This incident and the circumstances in which it happened led to a public outcry in what became known as the Reformasi
movement but it also resulted in the arrest and subsequent incarceration of Anwar on what many believe to be politically motivated charges of sexual misconduct and corruption.
Building on the momentum of the Reformasi
, a political movement Social Justice Movement (Adil) was formed and led by Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
, wife of Anwar Ibrahim
. But facing difficulties in registering Adil as a political party, the reformasi movement took over a small party Ikatan Masyarakat Islam Malaysia
and launched as National Justice Party on 4 April 1999, just in time to face the 1999 general elections
. The party was joined by the Democratic Action Party
(DAP), the Malaysian People's Party (PRM) and the Malaysian Islamic Party
(PAS) in a broad based electoral alliance known as Barisan Alternatif
(Alternative Front) to take on the ruling Barisan Nasional
(National Front) coalition in the 1999 general elections
.
,N.Gobalakrishnan, Youth leader Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Mohamed Azmin Ali
, Fairus Izuddin and Dr Badrul Amin Baharun; were arrested and as a result prevented from contesting in the elections. Further arrests were made on 10 April 2001 and those arrested were subsequently charged and incarcerated under the Internal Security Act
. They became known as the Reformasi 10.
as a whole gained 40.21% of the total votes cast with PAS gaining 27 seats and DAP gaining ten seats.
(PRM) on a possible merger. Despite some opposition in both parties to the move, a 13 point Memorandum of Understanding was eventually signed by the two parties on 5 July 2002.
On 3 August 2003, the new merged entity was officially launched and assumed its current name.
using the symbol of the old National Justice Party.
The party fared poorly in the elections and only managed to defend one parliamentary seat, despite winning 9% of the popular vote. The poor showing was later attributed to malapportionment and gerrymandering
in the delineation of constituencies, with one estimate suggesting that on average, a vote for the Barisan Nasional government was worth 28 times the vote of a Keadilan supporter.
and PAS
making substantial gains as well with 28 seats and 23 seats respectively. In total, the taking of 82 seats by the opposition to Barisan Nasional
's 140 seats, makes it the best performance in Malaysian history by the opposition, and denies Barisan Nasional the two-thirds majority required to make constitutional changes in the Dewan Rakyat
.
Keadilan also successfully contested the state legislative elections which saw the loose coalition of Keadilan, DAP and PAS forming coalition governments in the states of Kelantan
, Kedah
, Penang
, Perak
and Selangor
. The offices of the Menteri Besar
of Selangor
and the Deputy Chief Minister
of Penang
are held by Keadilan elected representatives, Khalid Ibrahim and Mohd Fairus Khairuddin, respectively.
Malaysia's government has intensified efforts on 6 March to portray opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim
as a political turncoat, days ahead of Malaysian general election, 2008
on 8 March that would determine whether he poses a legitimate threat to the ruling coalition. Campaigning wrapped up 7 March for general elections that could see gains for Malaysia's opposition amid anger over race and religion among minority Chinese and India
ns. Malaysians voted 8 March 2008 in parliamentary elections. Election results showed that the ruling government suffered a setback when it failed to obtain two-thirds majority in parliament, and five out of 12 state legislatures were won by the opposition parties. Reasons for the setback of the ruling party, which has retained power since the nation declared independence in 1957, are the rising inflation, crime and ethnic tensions.
. Muhammad Muhammad Taib
, information chief of the United Malays National Organisation
which leads the Barisan Nasional
coalition stated: Yes of course we have lost . . . we were the underdogs going into this race. Malaysia's Election Commission officials announced Anwar won by an astounding majority against Arif Shah Omar Shah of National Front coalition and over Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's United Malays National Organisation
(UMNO). Reuters
reported "Anwar Ibrahim has won with a majority of 16,210 votes, according to news website Malaysiakini Anwar won 26,646 votes, while the government's Arif Omar won 10,436 votes. Anwar's People's Justice Party spokeswoman Ginie Lim told BBC
: "We won already. We are far ahead."
On 28 August 2008, Anwar, dressed in a dark blue traditional Malay outfit and black "songkok" hat, took the oath at the main chamber of Parliament house in Kuala Lumpur
, as MP for Permatang Pauh
at 10.03 am before Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. He formally declared Anwar the leader of the 3-party opposition alliance. With his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
and his daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar
, also a parliamentarian, Anwar announced: "I'm glad to be back after a decade. The prime minister has lost the mandate of the country and the nation." Anwar needs at least 30 government lawmakers especially from Sabah and Sarawak MPs' votes to defect in order to form a government.
.
Keadilan managed a breakthrough into Sarawak
politics in May 2006. In Sarawak state elections
, Dominique Ng, a lawyer and activist, won in the Padungan constituency in Kuching
, a majority Chinese locale. Keadilan lost narrowly in Saribas, a Malay-Melanau
constituency by just 94 votes. Sarawak is a traditional Barisan Nasional
stronghold.
Keadilan has also pursued an aggressive strategy of getting key personalities from within and outside politics. In July 2006, Khalid Ibrahim, former CEO of Permodalan Nasional Berhad and Guthrie (Malaysia)
, was appointed as Treasurer of the Keadilan. K.S. Nallakarupan, a former Malaysian Indian Congress Youth, and Jeffrey Kitingan
, a popular Kadazan
politician and brother of Joseph Pairin Kitingan
, president of the Barisan Nasional
-aligned Parti Bersatu Sabah
, have also recently joined the party.
On 25 July 2009 ex-MIC vice president Datuk S.S. Subramaniam and the members of 12 MIC branches from within Petaling Jaya
and Meru
, Klang
defected from MIC and joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
, economic justice, eliminating political corruption
and human rights issues within a non-ethnic framework.
reported that an aide of Anwar Ibrahim
had lodged a police report claiming that he had been sodomised by Anwar. The news has since been updated with reports that SMS messages are being distributed claiming that the person who made the report is Anwar's aide, Saiful Bahari, who was arrested earlier today and allegedly forced to make a false confession. The same SMS message also claimed the possibility of Anwar being arrested later today.
Anwar has since denied the allegations claiming that that it was a complete fabrication and made in retaliation against him due to his recent acquisition of evidence that implicates the current Inspector General of the Police, Musa Hassan
, and the Attorney General, Abdul Gani Patail
, in misconduct including fabrication of evidence used against him during the 1998–1999 trials for corruption and sodomy.
Politics of Malaysia
The politics of Malaysia takes place in the framework of a federal constitutional monarchy, in which the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is head of state and the Prime Minister of Malaysia is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the federal government and the 13 state governments. ...
formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party. Keadilan was led by Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is a Malaysian politician. She is currently the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and she was the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh from 1999 to 2008. She was also the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat from March 2008 until 31 July 2008...
and increased its parliamentary representation from 1 seat to 31 seats in the Malaysian general election, 2008
Malaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
until the five-year political ban imposed on former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
was lifted on 14 April 2008.
Keadilan promotes an agenda with a strong social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
and anti-corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
emphasis. Recently the party adopted a platform that seeks to abolish the New Economic Policy
Malaysian New Economic Policy
The Malaysian New Economic Policy , was an ambitious and controversial socio-economic restructuring affirmative action program launched by the Malaysian government in 1971 under the then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak. The NEP ended in 1990, and was succeeded by the National Development Policy in...
and replace it with a policy that emphasises on a non-ethnic approach in poverty eradication and correcting economic imbalances.
The early years
1997 saw the economy of Malaysia affected by what is now known as the Asian Economic Crisis. The Finance Minister, Anwar IbrahimAnwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
(also Deputy Prime Minister), instituted a series of economic reforms and austerity measures in response. These actions were exacerbated when he tabled controversial amendments to the Anti Corruption Act that sought to increase the powers of the Anti Corruption Agency. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad disagreed with these measures and ultimately sacked Anwar from all his posts.
This incident and the circumstances in which it happened led to a public outcry in what became known as the Reformasi
Reformasi (Malaysia)
The Reformasi movement in Malaysia was initiated by Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters shortly after he was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister in 1998. It consisted of several mass demonstrations and rallies against the long-standing Barisan Nasional coalition government, and continued until Anwar was...
movement but it also resulted in the arrest and subsequent incarceration of Anwar on what many believe to be politically motivated charges of sexual misconduct and corruption.
Building on the momentum of the Reformasi
Reformasi (Malaysia)
The Reformasi movement in Malaysia was initiated by Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters shortly after he was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister in 1998. It consisted of several mass demonstrations and rallies against the long-standing Barisan Nasional coalition government, and continued until Anwar was...
, a political movement Social Justice Movement (Adil) was formed and led by Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is a Malaysian politician. She is currently the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and she was the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh from 1999 to 2008. She was also the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat from March 2008 until 31 July 2008...
, wife of Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
. But facing difficulties in registering Adil as a political party, the reformasi movement took over a small party Ikatan Masyarakat Islam Malaysia
Ikatan Masyarakat Islam Malaysia
Ikatan Masyarakat Islam Malaysia or Muslim Community Union of Malaysia was a minor Islamic political party formed in 1991 and based in Terengganu....
and launched as National Justice Party on 4 April 1999, just in time to face the 1999 general elections
Malaysian general election, 1999
The 1999 Malaysian General Election was held on 29 November 1999 as stipulated by the laws of Malaysia for general elections. As expected, the Barisan Nasional coalition maintained its majority in parliament, and thus, its grip on the post of Prime Minister....
. The party was joined by the Democratic Action Party
Democratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
(DAP), the Malaysian People's Party (PRM) and the Malaysian Islamic Party
PAS (political party)
The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party commonly known as PAS or Pas, is an Islamist political party in Malaysia and is currently headed by Dato' Seri Abdul Hadi Awang...
(PAS) in a broad based electoral alliance known as Barisan Alternatif
Barisan Alternatif
Barisan Alternatif was a coalition of Malaysian opposition parties, formed as a counterweight to the ruling Barisan Nasional...
(Alternative Front) to take on the ruling Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
(National Front) coalition in the 1999 general elections
Malaysian general election, 1999
The 1999 Malaysian General Election was held on 29 November 1999 as stipulated by the laws of Malaysia for general elections. As expected, the Barisan Nasional coalition maintained its majority in parliament, and thus, its grip on the post of Prime Minister....
.
Arrests
Between 27 and 30 September 1999, seven activists, including Keadilan leaders; Vice-President Tian ChuaTian Chua
Chua Tian Chang, or better known as Tian Chua , is a Malaysian politician and is currently the Member of Parliament for the Batu constituency in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is also information chief of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, the largest opposition party in the Parliament of Malaysia...
,N.Gobalakrishnan, Youth leader Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Mohamed Azmin Ali
Mohamed Azmin Ali
Mohamed Azmin bin Ali is a Malaysian politician and currently the Member of Parliament for the Gombak as well as assemblyman for Bukit Antarabangsa in the Selangor State Assembly...
, Fairus Izuddin and Dr Badrul Amin Baharun; were arrested and as a result prevented from contesting in the elections. Further arrests were made on 10 April 2001 and those arrested were subsequently charged and incarcerated under the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
. They became known as the Reformasi 10.
1999 general elections
The party entered the campaign with many of its key leaders under arrest and as a result saw it winning only five parliamentary seats in the elections despite gaining 11.67% of the total votes cast. The Barisan AlternatifBarisan Alternatif
Barisan Alternatif was a coalition of Malaysian opposition parties, formed as a counterweight to the ruling Barisan Nasional...
as a whole gained 40.21% of the total votes cast with PAS gaining 27 seats and DAP gaining ten seats.
Merger with Parti Rakyat Malaysia
The post election period saw negotiations between Keadilan and Parti Rakyat MalaysiaParti Rakyat Malaysia
The Parti Rakyat Malaysia is a democratic socialist political party in Malaysia. Established on November 11, 1955 as Partai Ra'ayat, it is one of the older political parties in Malaysia and traces its pedigree to the anti-colonial movements from the pre World War II period like the Kesatuan Melayu...
(PRM) on a possible merger. Despite some opposition in both parties to the move, a 13 point Memorandum of Understanding was eventually signed by the two parties on 5 July 2002.
On 3 August 2003, the new merged entity was officially launched and assumed its current name.
2004 general elections
As the new amendments to the party constitution had yet to be approved by the Registrar of Societies, candidates from PRM contested the 2004 General ElectionsMalaysian general election, 2004
General elections were held in Malaysia on March 21, 2004. The incumbent National Front government of Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was re-elected with an increased majority.-Election results:...
using the symbol of the old National Justice Party.
The party fared poorly in the elections and only managed to defend one parliamentary seat, despite winning 9% of the popular vote. The poor showing was later attributed to malapportionment and gerrymandering
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
in the delineation of constituencies, with one estimate suggesting that on average, a vote for the Barisan Nasional government was worth 28 times the vote of a Keadilan supporter.
Anwar Ibrahim freed
On 2 September 2004, in a decision by the Federal Court, Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy conviction was overturned and he was freed. This unexpected turn of events came timely for Keadilan which was facing flagging morale due to its dismal performance in the elections.2008 General Elections
In the 2008 elections, Keadilan won 31 seats in Parliament, with DAPDemocratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
and PAS
PAS (political party)
The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party commonly known as PAS or Pas, is an Islamist political party in Malaysia and is currently headed by Dato' Seri Abdul Hadi Awang...
making substantial gains as well with 28 seats and 23 seats respectively. In total, the taking of 82 seats by the opposition to Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
's 140 seats, makes it the best performance in Malaysian history by the opposition, and denies Barisan Nasional the two-thirds majority required to make constitutional changes in the Dewan Rakyat
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
.
Keadilan also successfully contested the state legislative elections which saw the loose coalition of Keadilan, DAP and PAS forming coalition governments in the states of Kelantan
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
, Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
, Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
and Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
. The offices of the Menteri Besar
Menteri Besar
The Menteri Besar is the chief executive of the state government for states in Malaysia with hereditary rulers. For states without a monarch, the title Chief Minister is used...
of Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
and the Deputy Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
are held by Keadilan elected representatives, Khalid Ibrahim and Mohd Fairus Khairuddin, respectively.
Anwar's return to politics
On 14 April 2008, Anwar celebrated his official return to the political stage, as his ban from public office expires a decade after he was sacked as deputy prime minister. One of the main reasons the opposition seized a third of parliamentary seats and five states in the worst ever showing for the Barisan Nasional coalition that has ruled for half a century, was due to him leading at the helm. A gathering of more than 10,000 supporters greeted Anwar in a rally welcoming back his return to politics. In the midst of the rally, police interrupted Anwar after he had addressed the rally for nearly half an hour and forced him to stop the gathering.Malaysia's government has intensified efforts on 6 March to portray opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
as a political turncoat, days ahead of Malaysian general election, 2008
Malaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
on 8 March that would determine whether he poses a legitimate threat to the ruling coalition. Campaigning wrapped up 7 March for general elections that could see gains for Malaysia's opposition amid anger over race and religion among minority Chinese and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
ns. Malaysians voted 8 March 2008 in parliamentary elections. Election results showed that the ruling government suffered a setback when it failed to obtain two-thirds majority in parliament, and five out of 12 state legislatures were won by the opposition parties. Reasons for the setback of the ruling party, which has retained power since the nation declared independence in 1957, are the rising inflation, crime and ethnic tensions.
Permatang Pauh by-election
Malaysia's government and ruling coalition declared defeat in a landslide victory in by-election by Anwar IbrahimAnwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
. Muhammad Muhammad Taib
Muhammad Muhammad Taib
Tan Sri Muhammad bin Haji Muhammad Taib is the former Rural and Regional Development Minister. He is also the United Malays National Organisation information chief and former Menteri Besar of Selangor...
, information chief of the United Malays National Organisation
United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence....
which leads the Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
coalition stated: Yes of course we have lost . . . we were the underdogs going into this race. Malaysia's Election Commission officials announced Anwar won by an astounding majority against Arif Shah Omar Shah of National Front coalition and over Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's United Malays National Organisation
United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence....
(UMNO). Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported "Anwar Ibrahim has won with a majority of 16,210 votes, according to news website Malaysiakini Anwar won 26,646 votes, while the government's Arif Omar won 10,436 votes. Anwar's People's Justice Party spokeswoman Ginie Lim told BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
: "We won already. We are far ahead."
On 28 August 2008, Anwar, dressed in a dark blue traditional Malay outfit and black "songkok" hat, took the oath at the main chamber of Parliament house in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, as MP for Permatang Pauh
Permatang Pauh
Permatang Pauh is a town in Seberang Perai, the hinterland portion of the island-state of Penang, Malaysia. Permatang Pauh is now led by Anwar Ibrahim who is the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh....
at 10.03 am before Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. He formally declared Anwar the leader of the 3-party opposition alliance. With his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is a Malaysian politician. She is currently the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and she was the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh from 1999 to 2008. She was also the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat from March 2008 until 31 July 2008...
and his daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar
Nurul Izzah Anwar
Nurul Izzah binti Anwar is a Malaysian politician from Parti Keadilan Rakyat , and is the current Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai. She is the daughter of Anwar Ibrahim, a former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and the current de facto opposition leader and of the PKR...
, also a parliamentarian, Anwar announced: "I'm glad to be back after a decade. The prime minister has lost the mandate of the country and the nation." Anwar needs at least 30 government lawmakers especially from Sabah and Sarawak MPs' votes to defect in order to form a government.
Other Developments
In December 2005 Keadilan organised its second national congress. Among the motions passed was the New Economic Agenda that envisioned a non-racial economic policy to replace the race-based New Economic PolicyMalaysian New Economic Policy
The Malaysian New Economic Policy , was an ambitious and controversial socio-economic restructuring affirmative action program launched by the Malaysian government in 1971 under the then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak. The NEP ended in 1990, and was succeeded by the National Development Policy in...
.
Keadilan managed a breakthrough into Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
politics in May 2006. In Sarawak state elections
Sarawak state election, 2006
The ninth Sarawak state election was held on May 20, 2006 with nomination day on May 9. The election functioned to elect 71 representatives to the Sarawak State Assembly...
, Dominique Ng, a lawyer and activist, won in the Padungan constituency in Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
, a majority Chinese locale. Keadilan lost narrowly in Saribas, a Malay-Melanau
Melanau
The Melanau are a people who live on the island of Borneo, primarily in Sarawak, Malaysia, but also in Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are among the earliest settlers of Sarawak, and speak a Northwest Malayo-Polynesian language .-Origins:...
constituency by just 94 votes. Sarawak is a traditional Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
stronghold.
Keadilan has also pursued an aggressive strategy of getting key personalities from within and outside politics. In July 2006, Khalid Ibrahim, former CEO of Permodalan Nasional Berhad and Guthrie (Malaysia)
Guthrie (Malaysia)
Guthrie Group Limited was a Malaysian company that primarily dealt with plantations. It merged with three other plantation groups to form the world's largest plantation company with the name of Sime Darby Berhad.- History :...
, was appointed as Treasurer of the Keadilan. K.S. Nallakarupan, a former Malaysian Indian Congress Youth, and Jeffrey Kitingan
Jeffrey Kitingan
Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan is a politician from the state of Sabah in Malaysia. He was born in the town of Kota Marudu and graduated from Harvard University...
, a popular Kadazan
Kadazan
The Kadazans are an ethnic group indigenous to the state of Sabah in Malaysia. They are found mainly on the west coast of Sabah, the surrounding locales, and various locations in the interior. Due to similarities in culture and language with the Dusun ethnic group, and also because of other...
politician and brother of Joseph Pairin Kitingan
Joseph Pairin Kitingan
Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan , is a Malaysian politician and was the seventh Chief Minister of Sabah, a state in Malaysia. He held the post from April 1985 to March 1994. Currently, he is the Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Development of Sabah and has...
, president of the Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
-aligned Parti Bersatu Sabah
Parti Bersatu Sabah
The Parti Bersatu Sabah is a political party in Sabah, east Malaysia. It was registered as a political party on March 5, 1985...
, have also recently joined the party.
On 25 July 2009 ex-MIC vice president Datuk S.S. Subramaniam and the members of 12 MIC branches from within Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya is a Malaysian city originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district of Selangor with an area of approximately 97.2 km². On 20 June 2006, Petaling Jaya was granted a...
and Meru
Meru, Malaysia
- Overview :Meru is home to Top Glove which is the nations largest producer of latex gloves. Numerous small-medium industrial complex are located in Meru which is less than 10 km from the heart of Klang....
, Klang
Klang
Klang , formerly known as Kelang, is the royal city and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District in Klang Valley. It is located about 32 km to the west of Kuala Lumpur and 6 km east of Port Klang...
defected from MIC and joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
PKR Members of the 12th Parliament of Malaysia
PKR currently has 24 MPs.- KedahKedahKedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
- P10 – Kuala KedahKuala KedahKuala Kedah is a town and parliamentary constituency in Kedah, Malaysia. It is a fishing port, located at the mouth of the Kedah River, and serves as a terminus for ferries to the tourist island of Langkawi...
– Ahmad Kasim - P14 – MerbokMerbokMerbok is a small town in Kedah, Malaysia. The historical Bujang Valley is located here.-External links:* *...
– Rashid Din - P15 – Sungai PetaniSungai PetaniSungai Petani is a town in the state of Kedah, in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia. Sungai Petani is the second largest town in Kedah after Alor Star.-Etmylogy:...
– Johari Abdul - P17 – Padang SeraiPadang SeraiPadang Serai is a small town in Kulim district, Kedah, Malaysia. The town is located between Kuala Ketil and Lunas.There are few villages such as Kg Teluk Binu, Kg Sidam Kanan, Kg Sentosa, Permatang Durian and some estates like Ladang Bukit Selarong, Ladang Nagalilit....
– N GobalakrishnanN GobalakrishnanN Gobalakrishnan is a Malaysian politician and is currently the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Padang Serai constituency in Kedah. He sits in parliament as an independent, having been elected as a member of the People's Justice Party in the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition.In...
- P10 – Kuala Kedah
- KelantanKelantanKelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
- P26 – Ketereh – Ab Aziz Ab Kadir
- P27 – Tanah MerahTanah MerahTanah Merah is a territory and town in the state of Kelantan in northeast Malaysia.The capital and main town is Bandar Tanah Merah where is situated nearby Sungai Kelantan.It is bordered by Pasir Mas in the north, Machang to the East, Kuala Krai to the South East, Jeli to the South West and...
– Amran Ab Ghani - P29 – MachangMachangMachang is a territory of Kelantan, Malaysia. It is bordered by the districts of Kota Bharu to the north, Pasir Puteh to the east, Tanah Merah to the west and Kuala Krai to the south. It is home to one of the branch campuses of Universiti Teknologi MARA...
– Saifuddin Nasution Ismail
- PenangPenangPenang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
- P44 – Permatang PauhPermatang PauhPermatang Pauh is a town in Seberang Perai, the hinterland portion of the island-state of Penang, Malaysia. Permatang Pauh is now led by Anwar Ibrahim who is the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh....
– Anwar IbrahimAnwar IbrahimAnwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced... - P53 – Balik PulauBalik PulauBalik Pulau is a town in Penang, Malaysia. Durians and other kinds of fruits are planted there. Balik Pulau is famous for its durian plantations which include the 'ang heh' and 'holo' variety...
– Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusuff
- P44 – Permatang Pauh
- PerakPerakPerak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
- P71 – GopengGopengGopeng is a town located in Mukim Teja, District of Kampar, Perak, Malaysia. It is situated approximately 20 km south of Ipoh, the state capital. The town is located on the west side of the North-South Expressway stretch of Tapah-Simpang Pulai...
– Lee Boon Chye
- P71 – Gopeng
- Negeri SembilanNegeri SembilanNegeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
- P132 – Teluk Kemang – Kamarul Bahrin Abbas
- PahangPahangPahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
- P82 – Indera MahkotaBandar Indera MahkotaBandar Indera Mahkota is a township in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. This township was opened in 1983. It is once known as Atabara and now it is a well-developed residential area. Its postal code is 25200.-Location:...
– Azan IsmailAzan IsmailAzan bin Ismail is a Malaysian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for the Indera Mahkota constituency in Pahang, representing the People's Justice Party in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition.... - P83 – KuantanKuantanKuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the 3rd largest state in Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. If one measures the distance along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it is located roughly halfway between Singapore and Kota Bharu...
– Fuziah SallehFuziah SallehFuziah Salleh , born on 13th July 1959, is a Malaysian politician and is currently the Member of Parliament for Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia...
- P82 – Indera Mahkota
- SelangorSelangorSelangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
- P97 – SelayangSelayangSelayang is the principal town of Gombak district in Selangor, Malaysia. The town is located about 10 km northwest from Kuala Lumpur, and a few kilometres from Batu Caves. A new township, Bandar Baru Selayang located just 2 km away and was named after the town, where the Selayang...
– William Leong Jee Keen - P98 – GombakGombakGombak is a district located in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The district was created on February 1, 1974, the same day when Kuala Lumpur was declared a Federal Territory. Until 1997, Rawang was the district capital; the capital has been moved to Bandar Baru Selayang. Gombak borders Kuala...
– Mohamed Azmin AliMohamed Azmin AliMohamed Azmin bin Ali is a Malaysian politician and currently the Member of Parliament for the Gombak as well as assemblyman for Bukit Antarabangsa in the Selangor State Assembly... - P99 – AmpangAmpangAmpang is a suburb of Kuala Lumpur in the Titiwangsa constituency, partly located in the state of Selangor, Malaysia and was historically a tin mining town. Its area in Kuala Lumpur is identified as being along the Ampang Road and Ampang Hilir.-History:...
– Zuraida Kamarudin - P104 – Kelana JayaKelana JayaKelana Jaya is a suburb of Petaling Jaya city, in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Kelana Centre Point is a popular shopping mall in this township...
– Loh Gwo BurneLoh Gwo BurneLoh Gwo Burne is a Malaysian politician. He is the member of the Malaysian Parliament for Kelana Jaya, Selangor and a member of the Keadilan party in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition.... - P105 – PJ SelatanPetaling JayaPetaling Jaya is a Malaysian city originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district of Selangor with an area of approximately 97.2 km². On 20 June 2006, Petaling Jaya was granted a...
– Hee Loy Sian - P107 – Subang – Sivarasa RasiahSivarasa RasiahSivarasa Rasiah ,or also known as R.Sivarasa is a prominent Malaysian politician, lawyer and human rights activist. He is co-founder of Suara Rakyat Malaysia or Suaram and vice-president of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat...
- P109 – KaparKaparKapar is a town in the Klang district of Selangor, Malaysia. The Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Power Station is located not far from town. The Kapar River which flows nearby the town centre empties into the Straits of Malacca....
– Manikavasagam a/l Sundaram - P112 – Kuala LangatKuala LangatKuala Langat is a district of Selangor, Malaysia. It is situated in the southwestern part of Selangor. It covers an area of 885 square kilometres, and had a population of 222,261 at the 2010 Cenmsus . It is bordered by the districts of Klang to the north and Sepang to the east. Its southern border...
– Abdullah Sani bin Abdul Hamid
- P97 – Selayang
- Federal TerritoryFederal TerritoryThe Federal Territories in Malaysia comprise three territories: Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, governed directly by the federal government of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital of Malaysia, Putrajaya is the administrative capital, and Labuan is an offshore international financial...
- P115 – BatuBatu, Kuala LumpurBatu is the name of a parliamentary constituency on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, not to be confused with the town and constituency of Batu Gajah in the Malaysian state of Perak.Settlements which are part of Batu constituency include Sentul...
– Tian ChuaTian ChuaChua Tian Chang, or better known as Tian Chua , is a Malaysian politician and is currently the Member of Parliament for the Batu constituency in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is also information chief of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, the largest opposition party in the Parliament of Malaysia... - P121 – Lembah PantaiLembah PantaiLembah Pantai is a parliamentary constituency in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Constituencies adjacent to Lembah Pantai are Seputeh, Segambut and Bukit Bintang....
– Nurul Izzah AnwarNurul Izzah AnwarNurul Izzah binti Anwar is a Malaysian politician from Parti Keadilan Rakyat , and is the current Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai. She is the daughter of Anwar Ibrahim, a former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and the current de facto opposition leader and of the PKR... - P124 – Bandar Tun RazakBandar Tun RazakBandar Tun Razak is a township as well as parliamentary constituency in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is named after the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak....
– Abdul Khalid IbrahimAbdul Khalid IbrahimTan Sri Dato' Seri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim is the 14th and current chief minister of the state of Selangor, in Malaysia. He is a former corporate figure of Malay descent and the current Treasurer-General of Parti Keadilan Rakyat . He was born in the village of Kampung Jalan Raja Abdullah in Kuala...
- P115 – Batu
- Wan Azizah Wan IsmailWan Azizah Wan IsmailYang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is a Malaysian politician. She is currently the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and she was the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh from 1999 to 2008. She was also the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat from March 2008 until 31 July 2008...
relinquished the seat to make way for her husband, Anwar IbrahimAnwar IbrahimAnwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
, a seat in the parliament. He won the Permatang Pauh by-electionPermatang Pauh by-election, 2008A by-election was held for the Dewan Rakyat parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh on August 26, 2008 with nomination day on August 16, 2008. The seat of Permatang Pauh in the Dewan Rakyat, fell vacant after the resignation of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, on 31 July 2008...
on 26 August 2008.
Ideology
Keadilan's constitution has as one of her core principles, the establishment of "a society that is just and a nation that is democratic, progressive and united". In practice, the party has primarily focused on promoting social justiceSocial justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, economic justice, eliminating political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
and human rights issues within a non-ethnic framework.
Anwar Ibrahim Sodomy Allegations
At 11.03 pm on 29 June 2008, online news portal MalaysiakiniMalaysiakini
Malaysiakini is a political news website published in English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. Since its launch on November 20, 1999, it has been widely considered to be one of the leading non-government owned paid-news agencies in Malaysia. Compete.com estimates that Malaysiakini now attracts over...
reported that an aide of Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
had lodged a police report claiming that he had been sodomised by Anwar. The news has since been updated with reports that SMS messages are being distributed claiming that the person who made the report is Anwar's aide, Saiful Bahari, who was arrested earlier today and allegedly forced to make a false confession. The same SMS message also claimed the possibility of Anwar being arrested later today.
Anwar has since denied the allegations claiming that that it was a complete fabrication and made in retaliation against him due to his recent acquisition of evidence that implicates the current Inspector General of the Police, Musa Hassan
Musa Hassan
Tan Sri Musa Hassan is former Malaysia's Inspector-General of Police. He has served with the Royal Malaysian Police for 41 years.- Inspector-General of Police :...
, and the Attorney General, Abdul Gani Patail
Abdul Gani Patail
Tan Sri Abdul Gani bin Patail is a Malaysian prosecutor. He is the current Attorney General of Malaysia.Abdul Gani was the lead prosecutor in former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial of 1998.-Background:...
, in misconduct including fabrication of evidence used against him during the 1998–1999 trials for corruption and sodomy.
Suara Keadilan Publication License Suspended
In June 2010, Suara Keadilan's publication was suspended for publishing a report which claimed a government agency is bankrupt. Suara Keadilan is run by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's Keadilan party. The Home Ministry, which oversees Malaysia's newspapers, said it was not satisfied with the paper's explanation for the allegedly inaccurate report.Malaysia suspends main opposition newspaper.See also
- List of political parties in Malaysia
- Politics of MalaysiaPolitics of MalaysiaThe politics of Malaysia takes place in the framework of a federal constitutional monarchy, in which the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is head of state and the Prime Minister of Malaysia is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the federal government and the 13 state governments. ...
- Pakatan RakyatPakatan RakyatPakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
- Ikatan Masyarakat Islam MalaysiaIkatan Masyarakat Islam MalaysiaIkatan Masyarakat Islam Malaysia or Muslim Community Union of Malaysia was a minor Islamic political party formed in 1991 and based in Terengganu....
- Reformasi (Malaysia)Reformasi (Malaysia)The Reformasi movement in Malaysia was initiated by Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters shortly after he was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister in 1998. It consisted of several mass demonstrations and rallies against the long-standing Barisan Nasional coalition government, and continued until Anwar was...
- Anwar Ibrahim