KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — Datuk Ibrahim Ali has urged Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today to promptly contest in a by-election to better prepare him for the role of the country’s next prime minister.

The Malay rights activist said this should happen by having either Anwar’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail or daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar relinquish their respective federal seat.

"As someone who knows both Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar personally, I want to give them an unbiased solution, the perfect one to help them fix the problem.

"Anwar should contest soon. Where? Easy...his wife’s or daughter’s seat. So that people can’t accuse him of practicing nepotism,” he told the press after launching his new political party, Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia.

He was referring to Pakatan Harapan’s pledge to have Anwar succeed Dr Mahathir as prime minister, which is still on the cards, since it requires Anwar to become an MP first.

Ibrahim said Dr Wan Azizah should also resign as Dr Mahathir’s deputy so that Anwar can get accustomed to a top leadership post, prior to helming the government.

"Wan Azizah should quit so that Anwar can have some space and time to work together with Tun towards achieving the same aspiration.

"When he is the deputy, then Malaysians can monitor his performance and keep him in check,” he said.

He added Dr Mahathir should also be given the opportunity to complete his full term.