Malaysian opposition leader Anwar appeals for poll victory

By EILEEN NG
Associated Press

KLANG, Malaysia (AP) — Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has appealed to voters for another surprise victory when Malaysia goes to the polls later this month. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan, or Alliance of Hope, won a stunning victory in 2018 and aims to repeat its success on Nov. 19. It lost power in early 2020 due to defections that brought back to power the coalition led by the United Malays National Organization. Anwar says his alliance is more united now after being purged of members who were not committed to its reform agenda. It faces challenges not only from UMNO but also from a rising number of Malay parties. An addition of some 6 million new voters, including many young people, also add to the uncertainty.