(22 Sep 2022)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bangkok – 22 September 2022
1. Various of Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim greeting people at Foreign Correspondent's Club of Thailand
2. Mid of journalist
3. Wide of Ibrahim sitting, ready to address audience
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian opposition leader:
"I remain optimistic because, those of you who understand the political development in Malaysia will realise there is a huge battle between the members of the ruling party coalition. The former Prime Minister Muhyiddin (Yassin), who is a major partner of the UMNO-led (United Malays National Organisation) coalition headed by the present prime minister (Ismail Sabri Yaakob), called the present prime minister 'a failure' and the prime minister said 'you also failed.' So you have two major failures to lead the present coalition government, so I think we should have a fair chance this time around."
5. Various of journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian opposition leader:
"It's a clear-cut case, so I think, if you view it positively, it's unfortunate for Najib (Razak), but it should be a lesson for all political leaders: when you are entrusted with power don't squander public funds. That to my mind is important. Now have we learned the lesson? I don't believe so."
7. Mid of journalists
8. Wide of press conference
STORYLINE
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Thursday he is optimistic that his three-party alliance has a "fair chance" of winning general elections that could be called as early as November.
Speaking to the media in Bangkok, he said infighting within the current ruling coalition, and corruption within the government, gave him hope his alliance could prevail.
"I remain optimistic," he said. "I think we should have a fair chance this time around."
Anwar leads the Hope Alliance, that teamed up with an ethnic Malay party led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad for a historic win in 2018 elections.
Anger over corruption led to the shocking defeat of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) that has ruled Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957.
Anwar was in prison at the time for sodomy charges he said were politically motivated.
He was pardoned after the polls, and was due to take over from Mahathir. But the reformist government collapsed after less than two years due to defections and UMNO returned to power.
Anwar, 75, noted that his coalition won 52% of popular votes in 2013 general elections, though it failed to secure enough parliamentary seats to win.
General elections are not due until September next year, but Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has come under pressure from his UMNO party to dissolve Parliament for early polls.
He has brought forward the tabling of the 2023 budget by three weeks to Oct. 7, sparking rumors that Parliament may be dissolved after generous budgetary pronouncements are made to win over electoral support.
An election must be called within 60 days after Parliament is dissolved.
Calls for early polls from UMNO intensified after ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak began a 12-year jail term last month after losing his final appeal in a graft case linked to the massive looting of the 1MDB state fund.
Anwar said Najib, with some other UMNO ministers, had last year signed an oath to support his bid to become prime minister but in return wanted an undertaking that he would not be convicted.
Anwar said his bid then failed because he refused to interfere.
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