Malaysia's Anwar rejoins parliament

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CHEERS FROM THE CHAMBER

Resurgent after the lifting of a ban on holding office expired in April, Anwar won a resounding victory in a by-election on Tuesday in a seat vacated by his wife and his success to date has rattled the ruling coalition and undermined Badawi's leadership.

The government has been reeling since losing its two-thirds majority in an election in March.

In parliament on Thursday, Anwar was applauded from almost full opposition benches as he entered the chamber wearing Malay dress and a songkok black hat.

He was formally appointed as leader of the opposition coalition after taking the oath.

The silent government benches were less than half full and state television's live parliamentary coverage did not show Anwar's swearing in, starting only when a government minister rose to speak.

Some legislators have called for Badawi to quit after the by-election and Anifah Aman, a Sabah government MP, said he would speak against a controversial government bill to force criminal suspects to provide DNA.

Anwar fears that the bill, which is being rushed through parliament, will be used to fabricate evidence to convict him. He has refused to give a DNA sample in the latest sodomy case.

AMBITIOUS PLANS, NERVY MARKETS

Anwar wants to put Malaysia back on a fast track to becoming a developed nation and says he will stamp out corruption and end an affirmative action programme for ethnic Malays he says has failed to help them and made the country uncompetitive.

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