KOTA KINABALU, June 4 — Despite his larger than life public persona, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today he does not mind playing second fiddle to his wife and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah.

The de facto PKR leader dismissed criticism that he overshadowed Dr Wan Azizah, saying he follows protocol in public and has no problems being her "escort”.

"People ask me what am I doing there, I don’t have a job in government. I don’t have a problem with people saying I’m the DPM’s escort. These things don’t worry me. She looks comfortable doing her job,” he said in an interview with INVOKE Malaysia that was video broadcast "live” on Facebook.

Anwar said that he had followed protocol when accompanying Wan Azizah in meeting Singapore and India prime ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Narendra Modi respectively where she spoke to them and he didn’t speak until he was asked.

"I don’t feel pressured seeing her speak to world leaders about global issues. I can accept it. If I could not that would be my own ego problem.

"But she did say she doesn’t want me walking behind her. Beside her is ok, though,” he said.

He said it was sometimes hard to figure out what was appropriate in certain situations given his background.

"I remember, when we were disembarking from the plane in Kota Baru, and Wan Azizah went out first, and I was to follow. Seemed odd, but ok, but when I came out, my old friends who haven’t seen me in a while made a big deal. So it seemed like it was a bigger deal,” he said.

"In the end, you just do what you think is right, don’t betray anyone, don’t be arrogant, and don’t play anyone out,” he said.

When asked to comment on perception that he was overshadowing her and seeming like the "PM-in-waiting,” Anwar said it was not untrue.

"It’s not a perception. It’s true. I’m onboard with that. Two years is a relatively short time in the political world,” he said.