KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has said she may quit active politics once her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim becomes prime minister.
She is, however, planning to finish her term as Pandan MP.
“I will not go into active politics. I think I will stay until I finish my term (as Pandan MP),” she told Malaysiakini during a special interview to mark Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) first year in office.
“Probably I will be much more involved looking over his shoulder,” she added.
Dr Wan Azizah’s first foray into politics was in 1999 when she took up the challenge to defend Anwar who was jailed for sodomy during current prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s reign.
She was a key figure in the “Reformasi” movement and was Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president at one point. She is now on the advisory council.
During the interview Dr Wan Azizah said things had come full circle in the 20 years since she took office.
“It has come back like one whole circle,” she said.
“When it happened a long time ago, I was a wife and right now, somehow, I have been thrown into this position and given this responsibility and duty.”
Dr Wan Azizah, however, felt she can still contribute to society and plans to continue to be a “very responsible citizen’.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has repeatedly stated that he will give up his post to Anwar, though a specific timeline has yet to be set.
