Malaysia’s leader-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim will seek to return to frontline politics by contesting a local election next month to become a lawmaker, officials said on Thursday.
Mr. Ibrahim, 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 over power to Mr. Ibrahim, his former nemesis with whom he teamed up to oust scandal-plagued Najib Razak and his long-ruling coalition in the election.
Following the poll, Mr. Ibrahim, 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 Mr. Mohamad.
Danyal Balagopal Abdullah from his People’s Justice Party in the Port Dickson constituency, quit Parliament last week to open up a spot for him.
