Anwar wife forms new Malaysian opposition

THE WIFE of Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian opposition leader accused of corruption, announced the formation yesterday of a new political party, the National Justice Party.

Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has campaigned for political reform since her husband was arrested last September for alleged sodomy and promiscuity. But although Mr Anwar is "the inspiration" for the new party, he will not be a member. The party's vice-president, Chandra Muzaffar, said: "Anwar is the only one who can bring all the parties together so it is better that he is not attached to any one institution."

Next week, the Kuala Lumpur High Court will deliver what is expected to be a guilty verdict against Mr Anwar, the former deputy prime minister. He says he is the victim of a conspiracy engineered by the Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamed.