Anwar Wins Seat in Malaysia’s Parliament, Has Top Job in Sight

Anwar Wins Seat in Malaysia’s Parliament, Has Top Job in Sight

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- It was a long time coming, but the dissident and sometimes mischievous politician Anwar Ibrahim has bloodied the nose of Malaysia's ruling coalition by winning Tuesday's by-election, marking his return to parliament and positioning himself for a tilt at the nation's top job.

"The message is clear," he told thousands of cheering supporters. "We in Permatang Pauh and in Malaysia, we demand change for freedom and justice."

"We want an independent judiciary, we want the economy to benefit the vast majority and not corrupt the few," he said to the chants of "reformasi" and "merdeka" which mean reform and freedom.

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