AFTER BOTCHED PURPORTED BID TO BECOME PM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, ANWAR TO NOW ‘SPEED UP PROCESS’ TO BECOME MP AS HIS POPULARITY SLIDES: EVEN IN AG CRISIS, QUESTION MARKS ABOUND OVER HIS REAL ROLE – WAS HE DEVIL OR ANGEL IN ALLEGED ROYAL OPPOSITION TO TOMMY THOMAS AS AG?

ANWAR Ibrahim has set his sights on being a parliamentarian and will contest a by-election within months to get back into the Dewan Rakyat.

Slightly more than two weeks after being released from prison, Anwar said he would “speed up” his return to Parliament.

“I may speed up the process, because there’s nothing wrong with me being a member of parliament,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

On which seat he will contest, Anwar said it has yet to be decided.

He, however, said he would not be contesting the Pandan seat, currently held by his wife and Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

“Pandan would be problematic because Wan Azizah would resign earlier as deputy prime minister leaving a vacuum for PKR,” he said in an interview at his office at PKR’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya on Monday.

Anwar, however, said his return to full-time politics would not be “immediate” as he has some travelling to do.

“Next week, I will go to London to meet (former US vice-president) Al Gore. A few days after Hari Raya, I will be in Turkey because President (Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan has reminded me three times to pay a visit.

“And there are a few important meetings with world leaders who requested that I visit them. I feel good as a regular Malaysian citizen who can freely discuss matters and meet up with friends,”   he said, adding that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also extended his invitation.

“When that round (of visits) is completed in a few months, then I would offer myself as a by-election candidate.”

Anwar was released and pardoned a week after the May 9 elections. He is slated to be the eighth prime minister after Dr Mahathir Mohamad steps down, likely in two years, in an agreement among Pakatan Harapan leaders.

The de facto PKR leader brushed aside talk that he should not be a backbencher.

“There are people who said I cannot be a parliamentarian. To be a minister, I’m not allowed. To be prime minister, not yet. And to be a parliamentarian, what is their problem?

“I’ve sat in jail for 10 years. I’ve been bashed left and right. Then they say I should not be a parliamentarian. I feel that view is excessive on the part of some people, allegedly because they’re afraid I would disrupt (the present administration).”

Anwar stressed he would not “disrupt” the administration, adding his relationship with Dr Mahathir is “good”.

“So far, there has been very good communication. Tomorrow (yesterday), I will speak with him again. Last night, I spoke with him over the phone. He has given good access to me.

“When I telephone, within minutes, I get connected. And this is a prime minister who is busy. Tun Mahathir also knows where I go. Whether I seek audience with the king or meet the people, I inform Dr Mahathir beforehand.

“I give way to him to administrate without any disturbance and I let him be comfortable to carry out his job.”

Anwar added that he has never been a backbencher in his political career.

“I’ve not been a regular parliamentarian since 1982 (after winning Permatang Pauh). I was deputy prime minister and then later opposition leader. This time, I would make history as a regular parliamentarian. That would be good.”

He will also ignore the opportunists who feel it is not safe for the present administration to have him in the picture.

“You know why I say I’m not too worried? It’s because as long as my rapport with Tun Mahathir is excellent, they can’t break that.   

“Well, they said in 1998 that happened, although my rapport (with Dr Mahathir) then was great, it could still break. But we have learned. Tun Mahathir learned that lesson. I, too, learned that lesson.”

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT