Anwar Ibrahim expects to succeed Mahathir Mohamad as Malaysia’s prime minister in 2020

Anwar, the leader of Malaysia’s ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR), said he expects to take power around May 2020, dismissing reports that Azmin Ali or Mukhriz Mahathir would be considered for the role instead

Anwar also said the forest fires burning in Indonesia are ‘ecological warfare’

Reading Time:3 minutes

Anwar Ibrahim, leader of Malaysia’s ruling party. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 2:00pm, 18 Sep 2019Updated: 1:44pm, 18 Dec 2019

Malaysian ruling party leader Anwar Ibrahim, who cut a deal to become the country’s next prime minister ahead of last year’s election, said he should take power around May 2020.

“There’s an understanding that it should be around that time, but I don’t think I should be too petty about the exact month,” Anwar said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Wednesday, when asked whether the transition would happen two years after Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad took power.

“But there is this understanding that he will resign at the appropriate time.”

Anwar, 72, dismissed reports that Minister of Economic Affairs Azmin Ali or Mukhriz Mahathir, the prime minister’s son, would be considered for the role instead of him.

Anwar’s political secretary was briefly detained in July over leaked sex videos allegedly featuring Azmin, deputy leader of the ruling People’s Justice Party.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x