Wan Azizah made way for Anwar to contest

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today that he will contest the by-election for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat vacated by his wife and Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has resigned as Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh with immediate effect to make way for her husband, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest the seat in a by-election.

Wan Azizah, 55, said she tendered her resignation letter to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia today.

Wan Azizah told a packed press conference at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya this afternoon that she had resigned as Member of Parliament for the seat but will retain her post as PKR president.

The Election Commission will be required to call a by-election within 60 days.

Permatang Pauh was held by Anwar for 17 years since he joined Umno in 1982. Wan Azizah took over as MP for the seat after her husband was sacked and subsequently jailed on charges of corruption and sodomy.

In the 2008 general election, she won the seat for the third time with a majority of 13,388 after defeating Umno's Pirdaus Ismail in a rematch.

Although the announcement sprung a surprise, politically, he can’t be patient and the long awaiting movement by the supporters for his re-entry into parliament. Among Bandar Tun Razak, Balik Pulau and Kulim, he chose Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.

Interestingly, he might be arrested in the next 48 hours, said a senior party official, arguing it was to stop him contesting a by-election. In the mist of uncertainty, should the situation once again support the popular conspiracy theory of Anwar being fixed by the BN?

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar revealed today that police investigations into the sodomy complaint against Anwar Ibrahim have been completed and the papers are now with the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.

However, Anwar Ibrahim said, "They have nothing to charge me with. They have been fishing for almost a month now and they haven’t caught any fish yet. Maybe they would catch a coconut and assume it’s a fish."

By the way, the political battle is on…….