MALAYSIA: DISSIDENT POLITICIAN ANWAR IBRAHIM RETURNS HOME AFTER OVERSEAS TRIP FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
Record ID:
208405
MALAYSIA: DISSIDENT POLITICIAN ANWAR IBRAHIM RETURNS HOME AFTER OVERSEAS TRIP FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
- Title: MALAYSIA: DISSIDENT POLITICIAN ANWAR IBRAHIM RETURNS HOME AFTER OVERSEAS TRIP FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
- Date: 31st October 2004
- Summary: (U3) KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (OCTOBER 31, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. PAN OF LINE OF POLICEMEN LOCKING ARMS AT ARRIVAL HALL 0.09 2. VARIOUS OF ANWAR IBRAHIM AND HIS WIFE WAN AZIZAH WALKING HAND IN HAND IN ARRIVAL HALL 0.29 3. WIDE/ PAN OF SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE AIRPORT WAVING / ANWAR WAVING FROM VEHICLE 0.37 4. CLOSE OF ANWAR WAVING 0.45 5. PAN OF MEDIA AT PRESS CONFERENCE/ ANWAR IN DOORWAY 0.58 6. CLOSE OF ANWAR'S SECURITY GUARD WEARING PULLOVER WITH ANWAR'S PORTRAIT 1.01 7. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANWAR IBRAHIM, MALAYSIAN POLITICIAN SAYING: "That has allowed me to reflect on a number of issues, internationally, and also my international role whereby I can contribute to encourage the engagement between Islam and the West, East and West and between other cultures, other religions." 1.23 8. WIDE OF WAN AZIZAH AND ANWAR AT PRESS CONFERENCE 1.32 9. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANWAR SAYING: "I express my wish to be able to call upon the Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi as soon as possible. We will try to make arrangements tomorrow morning and to express similar views, to endorse the commitment in the war against corruption and ensuring the separation of powers, including a free judiciary, independent judiciary and a free media." 2.08 10. WIDE OF REPORTERS 2.12 11. WIDE OF (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANWAR SAYING: "This meeting with Abdullah should not cause any undue speculation by some quarters as you have seen the idea, the possibility of my rejoining UMNO. I have made no indication to the fact, I have made no application but to see the number of leaders rattled or angry for no rhyme or reason. So I want to make it categorically clear that I am meeting or wish to meet Prime Minister Abdullah purely as a responsible citizen, committed to the ideals of reform in this country." 2.57 12. WIDE OF WELCOME HOME BANNER OUTSIDE ANWAR'S HOUSE / STREET/ PAN OF CROWD 3.09 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 15th November 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- Country: Malaysia
- Reuters ID: LVA7YPJHIO2G97RY8XHNYS55H8OQ
- Story Text: Malaysia's most prominent dissident politician Anwar
Ibrahim arrives home to a subdued welcome.
Malaysia's most prominent dissident politician,
former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, arrived home to a
restrained welcome amid tight security on Sunday (October
31), after an overseas trip to receive medical treatment.
Hundreds of supporters chanted "Reformasi", the battle
cry of Anwar's political reform movement, and threw flowers
at him as he arrived at Kuala Lumpur airport despite police
attempts to prevent a rally forming which included
roadblocks.
Anwar was sacked from government and jailed on what he
called trumped-up charges in the late 1990s after he fell
out with then leader Mahathir Mohamad and led
anti-government street protests.
He was released from almost six years' prison last
month and flew to Germany for treatment for a debilitating
back illness which had kept him confined to a wheelchair
for much of the time.
Anwar's return home has been eagerly awaited by his
supporters, who hope his freedom will strengthen the
"Reformasi" movement which received a setback at general
elections in March.
Mahathir's successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, stole its
thunder at the polls, winning a landslide victory on a
pledge to clean up corruption -- a key plank of Anwar's
political agenda. Anwar, looking tired but much fitter after his
treatment at a specialist clinic in Munich, walked into the
airport's arrival hall, arm in arm with his wife, to a
noisy welcome. He came home via Saudi Arabia where he had
performed a minor pilgrimage.
Supporters, kept behind a barrier and watched by dozens
of police with truncheons, shook his hand and presented him
with a garland of orange and red flowers before he left by
car. Anwar stood up through the vehicle's sunroof to wave
goodbye.
He is due to hold a news conference later on Sunday at
his home in a leafy suburb of Kuala Lumpur, but he is
widely expected to keep a relatively low profile and study
the new political landscape before mapping out a political
comeback.
In a press conference held early evening at his house,
Anwar spoke on his future plans.
"That has allowed me to reflect on a number of issues,
internationally, and also my international role whereby I
can contribute to encourage the engagement of Islam and the
West, East and West and between other cultures, other
religions," Anwar said about his immediate wish to mediate
between Islam and the West.
He also announced his wish to meet Malaysian Prime
Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi soon.
"I express my wish to be able to call upon the Prime
Minister Abdullah Badawi as soon as possible. We will try
to make arrangements tomorrow morning and to express
similar views, to endorse the commitment in the war against
corruption and ensuring the separation of powers, including
a free judiciary, independent judiciary and a free media,"
Anwar said.
But he scotched any ideas of rejoining Abdullah's
dominant United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in the
ruling National Front coalition.
"This meeting with Abdullah should not cause any undue
speculation by some quarters as you have seen the idea, the
possibility of my rejoining UMNO. I have made mo indication
to the fact, I have made no application but to see the
number of leaders rattled or angry for no rhyme or reason.
So I want to make it categorically clear that I am meeting
or wish to meet Prime Minister Abdullah purely as a
responsible citizen, committed to the ideals of reform in
this country," Anwar said.
Anwar is barred from holding party or parliamentary
office until April 2008 because of a conviction for
corruption. He had also been jailed for sodomy but a court
quashed this conviction in early September, resulting in
his surprise release.
A senior aide said this month that Anwar would spend
the next few weeks catching up family during the remainder
of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.
asia/smc
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