Anwar sworn in as Member of Parliament
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as a Member of Parliament at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday morning. Clad in a dark baju Melayu with a songkok, the newly elected Permatang Pauh MP took the oath before Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, followed by the traditional thumping on the table as a sign of approval and support from Opposition MPs in the House. Anwar, who has been made Opposition leader, also received words of advice from Pandikar Amin, who after the oath-taking ceremony, said he hoped that Anwar would play a beneficial role in the Dewan Rakyat. He said Anwar would also be accorded all privilages given to an Opposition Chief. As soon as the brief ceremony was over, Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric E Majimbun of Barisan Nasional (BN) congratulated Anwar over his by- election victory and selection as the Opposition leader before proceeding to ask the first question of the day. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abd Aziz also congratulated Anwar before replying to the first question. Speaking to the media after spending about 10 minutes in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said he felt vindicated, returning to Parliament after a 10-year hiatus. “I was touched and vindicated coming back to Parliament after 10 years. After all that I had gone through in that time, now it feels good to be back, it is my right,” he said. Anwar won the Permatang Pauh Parliamentary seat with a 15,671- vote majority on Tuesday, garnering 31,195 votes against BN’s Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, SI, who obtained 15,524 votes. The other candidate, Hanafi Mamat, 61, of Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim), who polled 92 votes, lost his deposit. Anwar, the former Deputy Prime Minister, was sacked from the Government in 1998 in connection with sodomy and abuse of power charges. - Bernama
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