Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has twice been imprisoned after what he calls politically-motivated cases. But he keeps fighting for democracy in a country he brands less democratic than even Burma.
Ibrahim’s opposition party is gaining more and more support from the Malaysian people. They’re fighting for democracy, something the former deputy prime minister describes as “an independent judiciary, free media and an economic policy that can promote growth and the market economy.” He now faces fresh charges over his part in a mass rally for electoral reforms. If found guilty he may be sentenced for up to two years in prison and a fine, which could mean he was disqualified from standing in elections.
But he remains optimistic on the future of Malaysia, describing his 2008 campaign to get elected to parliament. “We won 10 out of 11 parliamentary seats, and so I believe we are ripe for some sort of Malaysian Spring through the electoral process.”
Zashnain
An avid blogger, twitterer and photojournalist, Zashnain Zainal suffers from an incurable addiction to social work, helping marginalised communities since 1989. Nowadays he travels from the plantations of Malaysia to the slums of Thailand. He can be found at zashnain.com and @bedlamfury
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