Malaysian police arrested the sacked finance minister, Mr Anwar Ibrahim, yesterday, hours after he led thousands of angry demonstrators through the streets of the capital calling on Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to resign. Armed police led Mr Anwar from his suburban home to a white police van as about 2, supporters shouted "Reformasi" Reform and "Long Live Anwar".
About riot police with shields and batons surrounded the van before it drove away with Mr Anwar inside. His lawyer, Mr Christopher Fernando, told reporters inside Mr Anwar's house that the former cabinet minister was being taken to federal police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to be indicted for sexual indecency. Mr Anwar's adopted brother and a former speechwriter pleaded guilty in court on Saturday to being sodomised by Mr Anwar.
Sodomy is a crime in Malaysia. Mr Mahathir sacked Mr Anwar as deputy prime minister and finance minister on September 2nd, calling him morally unfit. Mr Anwar is under investigation for sodomy, treason, corruption and other crimes, which he has denied, saying he was the victim of a conspiracy to end his political career. Ruling coalition thrown into disarray, dipping below two-thirds parliamentary majority for first time in four decades.
April 15 - The five-year ban that prevented Anwar from holding political office ends. June 13 - Anwar says he will press ahead with a campaign to topple the government. June 29 - Anwar takes refuge at the Turkish embassy, saying his life was threatened after police began investigating allegations he sodomised a young aide.
July 16 - Police arrest Anwar on the sodomy complaint brought by a former aide. He is freed on bail the following day. Aug 1 - Anwar pledges to launch his campaign in a by-election to a parliamentary seat. As he was preparing to fight a state election in , his earlier acquittal was overturned and he was sent back to jail. In a shock turn of events in , his former rival Mr Mahathir announced he was coming out of retirement to run for top office again. But to stage his comeback Mr Mahathir struck an unlikely deal with the still imprisoned Mr Anwar, who had remained hugely popular with opposition supporters.
In a much publicised moment the two exchanged a once unthinkable handshake, marking the start of an extraordinary political reunion. Mr Mahathir led the Pakatan Harapan alliance to victory in 's landmark elections, ending Barisan Nasional's unbroken year streak in ruling the country. Mr Mahathir was now Malaysia's prime minister again, and indicated he would hand power to Mr Anwar within two years. He also met his pledge to free Mr Anwar from prison, initiating a full pardon.
Euphoric crowds chanting "long live Anwar" greeted the new leader-in-waiting on his release from jail as he looked closer than ever to achieving his premiership dreams. I must thank the people of Malaysia," Mr Anwar told a news conference on his release. They demand change. The new Pakatan Harapan coalition welded together four parties into Malaysia's first truly multi-ethnic coalition that commanded support among the Malay Muslim majority as well as the country's sizeable Chinese and Indian minorities.
Some viewed it as a sign that Malaysia was ready to unite across the racial lines that have dominated political life since the divisions fomented under colonial rule.
But the alliance, forged on Mr Mahathir's promise to cede power to Mr Anwar, then began to look precarious as the nonagenarian kept shifting the goalposts for handover. It began to unravel amid bitter in-fighting over succession and a resurgence of Malay nationalism. June 16, - Pakatan Rakyat disintegrates. July 2, - International media report billions of ringgit from 1MDB ended up in Najib's bank accounts.
July 28, - Najib blocks investigation into him, sacks dissenting ministers. Aug 29, - Hundreds of thousands protest at the Bersih 4 rally, now also training their sight on Najib's 1MDB corruption scandal that spans the globe.
Bersatu joins the coalition later. Feb 29, - Mahathir quits Umno, vows to unseat Najib as prime minister. March 4, - Mahathir joins forces with opposition to make the Citizen's Declaration calling for Najib's ouster on grounds of corruption. May 17, - Anwar in a letter from prison expresses concern about the opposition working with Mahathir. He seeks for Anwar's help to unseat Najib. July 14, - Mahathir appointed as Pakatan Harapan chairperson, Anwar as the de facto leader.
Jan 7, - Mahathir named by Pakatan Harapan as its prime ministerial candidate. He agrees to hand power to Anwar after a "couple of years" if Harapan wins. Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah reads out a letter from her father consenting to the arrangement. Jan 10, - Mahathir tries to meet Anwar at Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital but is denied by authorities. Mahathir says he wanted to thank Anwar for supporting him as the prime ministerial candidate.
May 9, - Harapan captures Putrajaya, ends BN's 61 years in power. Najib calls a still-imprisoned Anwar who is undergoing treatment in a hospital to work out an "arrangement", Anwar declines and refers him to Mahathir.
May 16, - Anwar is granted full royal pardon and released from detention ahead of the end of his sentence on June 8. This strength and unity by PKR, DAP, Bersatu and Amanah with the people are one of the ways that we can save this country from oppression and corruption What more do we want out of Mahathir? He had said it was a mistake to sack me
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