Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar Ibrahim

Riz Khan interviews Anwar Ibrahim, the former deputy prime minister of Malaysia. It was popular belief that he was destined to become the next leader of Malaysia, and Newsweek magazine named him ‘Asian of the Year’ in 1998. But that same year, his world turned upside down as he found himself in jail on charges of corruption and sexual misconduct.

It was not the first time he had been in jail, having been locked away as a student social activist in the early 1970s. Anwar Ibrahim had been fighting for the rights of Malaysia’s poor on the streets, but found it far more effective trying to change the system from the inside.

That began his meteoric rise in politics beginning with his election to parliament in the 1980s, going on to become deputy prime minister under Asia’s strongman, Mahathir Mohamed.

Ibrahim’s tight control of the finance ministry during the Asian financial crisis of 1997 is credited as saving Malaysia, but a major disagreement with Mahathir over handling certain financial concerns turned the leader from mentor to angry rival. Under charges of corruption and sodomy, Ibrahim was severely beaten and held for four years.

His treatment led to massive protests on Kuala Lumpur’s streets, with a call for reform against what were disputed as trumped-up charges. Ibrahim’s release in 2004 came with a ban from taking part in politics until 2008, leading him to a life as an academic in the US, and planning his next steps towards his political return.

Watch this episode of One on One here:

Part 1:

Part 2:

This episode of One on One aired 13th October 2007. (Originally aired 14th April 2007)

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