The 94-year-old also said Anwar would have to secure parliamentary majority to become prime minister. In the years following his release, Anwar rebuilt his following and came close to defeating Najib, another Dr Mahathir protege, in the disputed 2013 general election. The protracted feud between Dr Mahathir and Anwar, the country’s two most charismatic politicians, has dominated Malaysian politics for decades. Since his release, Anwar has stayed out of government, biding his time while his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has served as deputy prime minister to Dr Mahathir. He repeated Dr Mahathir’s position that the US bank’s initial settlement offer of over US$1bil was too small, but declined to say how much he felt was sufficient compensation.

Source: The Star February 06, 2020 12:22 UTC