KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim plans to return to the helm of his party in a move that burnishes his formal leadership role and projects defiance of a government ban on his political activity.

Anwar, a former deputy premier turned dissident, said at the weekend he would stand as president of the Keadilan or “Justice” party, which claims 100,000 members and is led by his wife Wan Azizah because the ban now limits him to being an adviser.

“Anwar holding office wouldn’t make much difference as far as the election is concerned,” political analyst and activist Chandra Muzaffar said.

Anwar, 59, was jailed in 1999 on what he called trumped-up charges of corruption and sodomy after he fell out with then-premier Mahathir Mohamad and led anti-government protests at the head of a “Reformasi” movement demanding political reforms.He was released from jail in September 2004 after he was acquitted of sodomy. But his corruption conviction, for which he had already served his time, remained and this criminal record bars him from holding party or political office until April 2008.

But the prospect of Anwar contesting the election would not influence Abdullah’s decision on poll timing, Muzaffar said.

“It will be based on the economy, how the general public feels on corruption, on how it sees the government’s ability to deliver the goods,” he added. “I don’t think Anwar being in the ring or not being in the ring would mean very much to Abdullah.”

Keadilan calls the ban on Anwar the unfair legacy of a previous regime, and says that by scrapping it Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would be living up to reform promises that brought him a landslide election win in 2004.

The success of Anwar’s bid to head up Keadilan hinges on securing the approval of a Malaysian government official, the registrar of societies, party officials said.

Keadilan officials said there had been instances in the past where politicians under similar bans had been allowed to lead their parties, but officials at the registrar of societies were not available for immediate comment.

“There is a possibility that Anwar will have to step down to avoid deregistration, but then we will go to court to challenge the registrar’s decision,” spokesman Tian Chua said.

Party delegates meet on May 26, to vote on Anwar’s nomination.—Reuters