In This Guide
Snapshot
Founded: 4 April 1999 as Parti Keadilan Nasional (Keadilan) by Wan Azizah Wan Ismail at the height of the Reformasi movement following Anwar Ibrahim's September 1998 dismissal and imprisonment. Merged with Parti Rakyat Malaysia on 3 August 2003 to form Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
Status (2026): Holds the Prime Ministership through Anwar Ibrahim and leads the unity government. PKR holds 31 of PH's 82 federal seats (DAP holds 40 - the largest single PH bloc by seat count - while PKR provides the PM and leadership).
Founder: Wan Azizah Wan Ismail - former ophthalmologist who became a political leader after her husband's arrest. She served as Opposition Leader 2008-2015 and Deputy PM 2018-2020.
Membership Claim: ~600,000+. Lower than UMNO claims but reflects PKR's more elite professional-class base in urban Klang Valley.
Key Distinguishing Features: - Multi-racial - open to all ethnicities, religions - 2018-2020 internal "Anwar-Azmin war" became major fault line, ending in the Sheraton Move - 2022 leadership election (Rafizi vs Saifuddin) was first competitive PKR leadership contest in years - 2025 leadership election (Nurul Izzah vs Rafizi) marked a generational and family-vs-reformist split - Reformasi mythology core to party identity: "Mahathir broke Anwar, the people rebuilt him"
Headquarters: PKR National HQ, Tropicana, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Symbol: Stylised eye in blue circle - represents vigilance against injustice and Reformasi-era surveillance/abuse imagery.
Colours: Sky blue, white, red.
International Alignment: Member of Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD). Anwar personally engages with Muslim Brotherhood-adjacent networks (Erdogan, Ghannouchi), Trilateral Commission, and various Western think-tanks. ASEAN Chair 2025 under Malaysia's chairmanship year, with Anwar leading summits in Kuala Lumpur.
Anwar Ibrahim: The 60-Year Arc
Early Life
- Born 10 August 1947 in the Bukit Mertajam area of Penang (Cherok Tok Kun / Sungai Bakap are also given in different sources) - Father Ibrahim Abdul Rahman was a hospital porter who later became a Member of Parliament (Alliance/UMNO) for Penang Selatan - Educated at Sekolah Melayu Cherok Tok Kun, Sekolah Stowell (Bukit Mertajam), Penang Free School, Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) - University of Malaya, BA Malay Studies (1971); active in student politics, led the Malay Language Society (PBMUM)
ABIM Years (1971-1982)
- Co-founded Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM, Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia) in 1971, serving as its president 1974-1982 - Detained under ISA 1974 for organising the Baling farmers' demonstrations against rural poverty; held in Kamunting for 22 months - Built strong ties with global Islamic intellectuals: Ismail al-Faruqi, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Rachid Ghannouchi (Tunisia's Ennahda)
UMNO Rise (1982-1998)
- Joined UMNO in 1982 in a coup orchestrated by PM Mahathir Mohamad, who saw Anwar as a way to neutralise the Islamic-revival vote bloc - MP for Permatang Pauh (Penang) from 1982 - Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports (1983) - Minister of Agriculture (1984) - Minister of Education (1986-1991) - Minister of Finance (March 1991 - September 1998) - Deputy Prime Minister (1 December 1993 - 2 September 1998) - Time magazine "Asian of the Year" (1998, jointly with Finance Asia recognition) - Acting PM during Mahathir's two-month leave May-July 1997
The Asian Financial Crisis Split (1997-1998)
- Anwar favoured IMF orthodoxy: tight fiscal policy, allowing the ringgit to float, allowing weak companies to fail - Mahathir favoured capital controls, ringgit peg, bailouts of UMNO-linked firms (Renong, MAS, Petronas-led rescues) - 1 September 1998: Mahathir announced ringgit peg at RM3.80/USD and capital controls - 2 September 1998: Anwar sacked as DPM and Finance Minister - 3 September 1998: UMNO Supreme Council expelled Anwar from the party
Imprisonment (1999-2004; 2015-2018)
- Sodomy I and corruption charges - convicted 1999 (6 years for corruption) and 2000 (9 years for sodomy, consecutive) - Federal Court overturned sodomy conviction 2 September 2004; released same day - Sodomy II charges filed 2008; acquittal 2012; Court of Appeal reversal 2014; Federal Court upheld 10 February 2015 - 5 years jail at Sungai Buloh Prison - Royal pardon by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V on 16 May 2018, days after PH won GE14
Return to Power (2018-2022)
- Port Dickson by-election 13 October 2018 - returned to Parliament - Mahathir-Anwar PM-transition agreement collapsed Feb 2020 (Sheraton Move) - Held PH together through Muhyiddin and Ismail Sabri governments - GE15 (19 November 2022): PKR won 31 seats; PH won 82 - Sworn in as 10th Prime Minister on 24 November 2022 by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at Istana Negara
Personal
- Married Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in 1980; six children - Religion: Sunni Islam; ABIM-influenced modernist - Languages: Malay, English, Arabic (functional)
Honours and Recognition
- Tan Sri (Panglima Setia Mahkota) - 1989 - Honorary doctorates from Georgetown, Waseda, Soka, and other institutions - Time magazine 100 most influential people list multiple appearances (1998, 2024) - Visiting fellowships at St Antony's College Oxford and Johns Hopkins SAIS during opposition years
Books and Writings
- "The Asian Renaissance" (1996) - manifesto of civilisational dialogue - "SCRIPT for a Better Malaysia" (2022) - 6-pillar reform platform: Sustainability, Care/Compassion, Respect, Innovation, Prosperity, Trust - Multiple compiled speech volumes and essays from imprisonment years
The Reformasi Chronology (1998-2004)
1998
- 1 September: Mahathir announces capital controls, ringgit peg at RM3.80/USD - 2 September: Anwar sacked as DPM and Finance Minister - 3 September: UMNO expels Anwar - 4 September: Anwar holds first Reformasi rally at his Damansara Heights home, drawing thousands - 9 September: National Reformasi tour begins - 20 September: Police arrest Anwar at home under ISA at approximately 9:00pm; in custody he is beaten by IGP Abdul Rahim Noor, producing the "black eye" image released 29 September - 29 September: Anwar produced in court visibly bruised; black-eye photo becomes international story - 2 October: Charged with 5 counts corruption + 5 counts sodomy at Kuala Lumpur High Court - November: APEC summit in KL; First Lady Hillary Clinton, US VP Al Gore criticise treatment of Anwar; Gore's speech at the official dinner endorses Reformasi
1999
- 4 April: Wan Azizah founds Parti Keadilan Nasional (Keadilan) at Renaissance Hotel KL, with Chandra Muzaffar, Marina Yusoff, Tian Chua, Ezam Mohd Nor as founding figures - 14 April: Justice Augustine Paul convicts Anwar on 4 corruption / abuse-of-power charges at Kuala Lumpur High Court - 6 years' jail - 29 November: GE10 - Keadilan wins 5 federal seats (including Wan Azizah in Permatang Pauh); Barisan Alternatif (Keadilan + PAS + DAP + PRM) wins 45 of 193 seats
2000
- 8 August: Justice Augustine Paul (who also presided over the 1999 corruption trial) sentences Anwar to 9 years' jail for sodomy, consecutive to the 6-year corruption term
2001-2003 - Reformasi rallies continue; multiple ISA detentions of activists ("Reformasi 10" - including Ezam Mohd Nor, Tian Chua, Hishamuddin Rais, Saari Sungib, others) - 3 August 2003: Keadilan and Parti Rakyat Malaysia merge into Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)
2004
- 21 March: GE11 - PKR catastrophic loss, retains only 1 seat (Wan Azizah's Permatang Pauh) - 2 September: Federal Court overturns the sodomy conviction by 2-1 majority; Anwar released same day after roughly 6 years in custody - Anwar barred from elected office until April 2008 due to remaining corruption conviction
Reformasi-Era Allies Who Later Split
- Chandra Muzaffar (founding Deputy President) - left 2001 after policy differences; later became academic critic - Marina Yusoff (founding VP) - left over internal disputes - Ezam Mohd Nor (youth chief, "Reformasi 10") - left PKR, briefly rejoined UMNO 2008, then independent - Tian Chua - remained until expulsion controversies; later returned in reduced role - Hishamuddin Rais - filmmaker-activist; remained civil society - Marina Mahathir (Mahathir's daughter) - publicly sympathetic to civil-liberties strands of Reformasi but never formally PKR; estranged-allies relationship with Anwar continues - Mohamed Azmin Ali - core Anwar loyalist until 2020 Sheraton defection
Critical Timeline
1998-1999: Reformasi
- 2 September 1998: Mahathir sacks Anwar as DPM and Finance Minister - 9 September 1998: Anwar starts national tour as "Reformasi" movement - 20 September 1998: Anwar arrested; allegedly beaten by IGP Rahim Noor producing the "black eye" photo - 14 April 1999: First sodomy/corruption trial conviction - 6 years jail - 4 April 1999: Wan Azizah founds Parti Keadilan Nasional
1999-2008: Survival
- 29 November 1999 GE10: Keadilan wins 5 seats - 8 August 2000: Second sodomy trial conviction - 9 years jail (consecutive) - 3 August 2003: Keadilan merges with PRM to form PKR - 21 March 2004 GE11: PKR wins 1 seat (low watermark) - 2 September 2004: Federal Court overturns second sodomy conviction - Anwar released
2008 Breakthrough
- 8 March 2008 GE12: BN loses 2/3 majority; PR (PKR-DAP-PAS) wins 82 seats; PKR alone 31 - 26 August 2008: Anwar wins Permatang Pauh by-election by 15,671 majority - returns to parliament - 16 September 2008: Anwar fails to deliver promised parliamentary defections from BN
2008-2018: Opposition Wilderness
- 28 June 2008: Saiful Bukhari Azlan files second sodomy complaint - 5 May 2013 GE13: PR wins popular vote 50.9%; loses parliament 89-133 - 7 March 2014: Court of Appeal overturns 2012 acquittal - Anwar back to jail track - 10 February 2015: Federal Court upholds conviction - 5 years jail - February 2015: Anwar enters Sungai Buloh Prison
2018: Power
- 9 May 2018 GE14: PH wins 113 seats; PKR wins 47 (largest PH party) - 16 May 2018: Royal pardon granted; Anwar released - 13 October 2018: Anwar wins Port Dickson by-election
2020 Sheraton Move
- 23 February 2020: Mahathir at Sheraton Hotel Petaling Jaya - meeting with PAS, UMNO defectors - 24 February 2020: Azmin Ali and around 10 PKR MPs defect to Bersatu/PN; Mahathir resigns as PM - 1 March 2020: Muhyiddin Yassin sworn in as 8th PM - 24 February 2020: PKR expels Azmin Ali and the defecting MPs
2022 Victory
- 19 November 2022 GE15: PKR wins 31 seats - 22-23 November 2022: Royal consultations - 24 November 2022: Anwar sworn in as 10th PM
2023-2026 In Power
- 12 August 2023 state elections: PH-BN retains Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan; PN takes Kedah, Terengganu, Kelantan - 4 September 2023: Zahid Hamidi DNAA at KL High Court - 27 July 2023: Madani Economy framework announced - 18 October 2023: Nurul Izzah appointed Senior Economic and Financial Advisor to the PM - 2 February 2024: Pardons Board halves Najib's 12-year sentence to 6 years - 1 March 2024: Capital gains tax 10% on unlisted shares; SST rises to 8% (from 6%) - 1 August 2024: E-invoicing mandatory rollout phase 1 - 10 June 2024: Diesel subsidy targeted rationalisation - January 2025: 2% dividend tax announced for >RM100k dividends (YA2025) - Malaysia ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 - 24 May 2025: PKR National Congress - Nurul Izzah defeats Rafizi for Deputy President 9,803 to 3,866 - 16 June 2025: Rafizi Ramli resigns as Minister of Economy - Subsequent months 2025: Rafizi exits PKR; eventually associated with the launch of Parti Bersama Malaysia (PBM)
The Anwar Family Tree
PKR's "Family Wing" is the most cohesive internal bloc and the spine of Anwar's succession strategy.
Anwar Ibrahim (b. 10 August 1947, Bukit Mertajam area, Penang) - President of PKR; 10th Prime Minister since 24 November 2022 - MP for Tambun, Perak (since GE15, November 2022)
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (b. 3 December 1952, Singapore) - Wife; married Anwar in 1980 - Ophthalmologist (London-trained, MBBS Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland 1976) - Founded Parti Keadilan Nasional 4 April 1999 - MP for Permatang Pauh 1999-2015, then Pandan 2018-2022 - Opposition Leader 2008-2015 - 12th Deputy Prime Minister (21 May 2018 - 24 February 2020) - first female DPM of Malaysia - Largely retired from active politics by 2024
Children (six)
1. Nurul Izzah Anwar (b. 19 November 1980) - PKR Deputy President from May 2025 (defeated Rafizi Ramli at the May 2025 congress) - Senior Economic and Financial Advisor to the PM (since 18 October 2023) - Former MP for Lembah Pantai (2008-2018) and Permatang Pauh (2018-2022) - Lost Permatang Pauh in GE15 to PN candidate - Married to Raja Ahmad Shahrir (divorced); one son, Raja Iskandar
- Nurul Nuha Anwar (b. 1982)
- - Led the "Free Anwar" campaign during her father's 2015-2018 imprisonment
- - Holds party office-bearer roles; lower public profile than Nurul Izzah
- Nurul Ilham Anwar
- - Lower public profile; works in NGO and education sector
- Nurul Iman Anwar
- - Academic background; lower public profile
- Nurul Hana Anwar
- - Lower public profile
- Mohamad Ihsan Anwar (only son)
- - Lower public profile
Extended Political Family
- Anwar's late father Ibrahim Abdul Rahman was MP for Penang Selatan (Alliance/UMNO) - the Anwar political lineage predates PKR - Wan Azizah's brother Wan Azhar Wan Ismail has held PKR party roles in Penang
Family Wing Logic
The family bloc controls the deputy presidency (Nurul Izzah), holds an economic-advisory PMO role (Nurul Izzah), and remains the moral inheritor of the Reformasi narrative. The Rafizi camp argued in 2025 that this constituted dynasty-building inconsistent with PKR's founding values; the Anwar camp argued Nurul Izzah won the delegate vote on her merits and her record (3-term MP, finance committee chair, PMO role).
Ideology: Anti-Crony Reform plus Bangsa Malaysia
1. Bangsa Malaysia (Malaysian Nation)
The doctrine that Malaysian national identity should transcend ethnicity. Specific policy positions: - Need-based affirmative action ("DM" - Dasar Madani) targeting lowest 20% household income - Public university merit-based admissions with safety net for B40 families - Removal of race-based quotas in scholarship programmes (mixed implementation) - Open recruitment for non-Bumiputera civil service positions (limited progress)
2. Anti-Corruption and Institutional Reform
- Strengthened MACC autonomy (Public Service Commission separated from MACC appointments) - Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009 amendments (proposed expansion) - Government Procurement Act (Najib-era; PH amendments stalled) - Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (enforcement weak) - Sedition Act repeal promise (made 2018, not implemented; selective use continues) - Official Secrets Act amendment (proposed, stalled) - Auditor General reports made annually public
3. Economic Centrism (Madani Framework)
- Targeted subsidies replacing blanket subsidies (diesel rolled out 10 June 2024, RON95 phased) - Progressive Wage Policy pilot (raise low-income worker pay via matched government incentives) - 2% dividend tax on dividends >RM100k (effective YA2025) - Capital gains tax 10% on unlisted shares disposal (1 March 2024) - E-invoicing mandatory phased rollout (started 1 August 2024) - Sales and Service Tax (SST) at 8% (raised from 6% in March 2024)
4. Islamic Modernism ("Islam Madani")
Anwar's personal religious framework: - Pluralist, modernist, compatible with multi-ethnic governance - Rejects PAS's hudud interpretation - Supports broader Islamic civilisational engagement (Anwar's 2024 ASEAN-Saudi summit role) - Critical of "Islam liberal" charge from PAS
5. Multi-Racial Coalition Defence
PKR has consistently defended: - Vernacular Chinese (SJK-C) and Tamil (SJK-T) school funding - UEC recognition (politically blocked but PKR position is supportive) - Indian community welfare (citizenship documentation, temple committees) - Sabah/Sarawak MA63 implementation
6. Foreign Policy
- Pro-Palestine: Anwar publicly hosted Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and met Hamas leadership in May 2023 in Kuala Lumpur (a meeting that drew US State Department concern) - Cool to Israel: Telekom Malaysia ended contracts with Israeli-linked software firms; Israeli ships barred from Malaysian ports (late 2023) - Engagement with China (BRI, Forest City, KL-Singapore HSR revival talks) - US-China hedge: maintained relations with both - ASEAN chairmanship 2025: Malaysia chaired ASEAN under the "Inclusivity and Sustainability" theme; Anwar pushed for collective stand on the Myanmar civil war and hosted the ASEAN-GCC-China trilateral summit (May 2025)
Madani Economy: Policy Detail and Timeline
Announcement and Framework
- 27 July 2023: PM Anwar launches the Madani Economy framework at Putrajaya. Seven thrusts, 17 KPIs, 10-year horizon - Madani = M (Malaysia), A (Asia), D (Daulat - sovereignty), A (Adab - civility), N (Nilai - values), I (Insaniah - humanity); the framework is also branded as a derivative of Anwar's longer-running "Islam Madani" intellectual project
Tax and Fiscal Reform
- 1 January 2024: Luxury tax on high-value goods (jewellery, watches above thresholds) - implementation deferred - 1 March 2024: Capital Gains Tax (CGT) at 10% on disposal of unlisted shares by companies - 1 March 2024: Sales and Service Tax (SST) raised from 6% to 8% on selected services (telecoms, brokerage, logistics); food & beverage and telecommunications retained at 6% - YA2025 (effective dividends from January 2025): 2% dividend tax on individual dividend income exceeding RM100,000 per year - 1 August 2024: E-Invoicing Phase 1 mandatory for businesses with revenue >RM100m; Phase 2 (>RM25m) from 1 January 2025
Subsidy Rationalisation
- 10 June 2024: Targeted diesel subsidy rollout; subsidised diesel restricted to commercial vehicles, fishermen, eligible private vehicles via the BUDI Madani scheme. Unsubsidised pump price moved to managed-float around RM3.35/litre - 2025 (announced): RON95 petrol targeted-subsidy mechanism in design phase - BUDI Madani: cash transfer programme for diesel-eligible private users (RM200/month)
Wage Policy
- June 2024: Progressive Wage Policy (PWP) pilot launched - government matches employer wage increments for trained workers in selected sectors (max RM200-400/month/worker over 12 months) - Minimum wage raised from RM1,500 to RM1,700 effective 1 February 2025
Investment and Industry
- September 2023: New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) launched - target advanced manufacturing share of GDP +30% - 2024: Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) memorandum signed January 2024; full agreement signed January 2025 - National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) - phase 1 announced July 2023; phase 2 August 2023
Cost-of-Living Measures
- Rahmah Madani Sales (subsidised groceries) - rolled out nationwide late 2023 - Payung Rahmah Madani initiatives across food, school supplies
Macroeconomic Outcomes
- GDP growth: 2023 ~3.6%, 2024 ~5.1% (DOSM estimates) - Ringgit recovered from intra-day low of approximately RM4.80/USD (late October 2023) to around RM4.30/USD (mid-2025) - Fiscal deficit narrowed from ~5.0% (2023) to ~4.3% (2024 projection)
Friction Points
- Subsidy-rationalisation sequencing dispute drove the Rafizi exit (resigned as Economy Minister 16 June 2025) - Cost-of-living complaints persistent despite headline growth - GLC reform (Khazanah, PNB board-professionalisation proposals) largely stalled
Madani Budget Headlines
| Budget | Allocation (approx) | Theme | Key Lines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 (re-tabled 24 Feb 2023) | RM 386.1 billion | "Develop Malaysia Madani" | First Anwar budget; targeted subsidies signal |
| 2024 (tabled 13 Oct 2023) | RM 393.8 billion | "Economic Reforms, Empowering the Rakyat" | CGT introduction; SST to 8% |
| 2025 (tabled 18 Oct 2024) | RM 421 billion | "Reinvigorating Economy, Catalysing Reform" | Dividend tax; min wage to RM1,700 |
| 2026 (tabled October 2025) | Approx RM 430 billion (proj.) | Continuation theme | RON95 subsidy targeted phase; further wage-policy expansion |
Madani Implementation Bodies
- NIMP 2030 (New Industrial Master Plan) - launched 1 September 2023 - NETR (National Energy Transition Roadmap) - phase 1 launched 27 July 2023; phase 2 August 2023 - JS-SEZ (Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone) - MoU January 2024; full agreement 7 January 2025 - MADANI Government Coordination Cabinet Committee - chaired by PM
KPIs Reported (selected)
- Approved investments: RM 329.5b (2023); RM 378.5b (2024) - Unemployment: 3.4% (end 2023); 3.2% (end 2024) - Inflation: 2.5% (2023); 1.8% (2024)
Internal Dynamics and Factions
Reformasi Generation vs Next Generation
PKR's identity is dominated by the Reformasi cohort - those politically activated in 1998-99. As of 2026, this cohort still holds most senior positions but is ageing. The "next generation" (Howard Lee, Muhammad Bakhtiar, Adam Adli, Fadhlina Sidek) has limited operational power.
The Anwar-Azmin War (2015-2020)
Mohamed Azmin Ali was Anwar's closest political confidant for 30 years. As PKR Deputy President 2014-2020, Azmin built a parallel power base in Selangor (as Menteri Besar 2014-2018) that rivalled Anwar's.
The Anwar-Azmin tension escalated 2018-2020 over: - Anwar's pace of demanding PM transition from Mahathir - Azmin's closeness to Mahathir and Bersatu - A 2019 viral leaked sex video featuring a man resembling Azmin (he denied authenticity) - Cabinet portfolio disputes
The Sheraton Move (23-24 February 2020) was Azmin's defection - taking around 10 PKR MPs to Bersatu. Anwar expelled them.
The Rafizi-Anwar Tension (2022-2025)
After Azmin's departure, Rafizi Ramli - an economist and Petronas auditor-turned-activist (founded INVOKE, Malaysia's most prominent election-data NGO) - became PKR's rising star.
Rafizi defeated Saifuddin Nasution for Deputy President at the 2022 PKR congress (results announced 17 July 2022); reported margins vary by source. The win was seen as a generational vote for reform over coalition pragmatism.
In December 2022, Anwar appointed Rafizi as Minister of Economy. Over 2023-2024, Rafizi pushed: - Aggressive subsidy rationalisation - GLC board reform (proposals to professionalise Khazanah, PNB) - Education-employment data transparency - Mid-tier company support programmes
Tensions with Anwar loyalists (Saifuddin Nasution as Home Minister) increased. At the 24 May 2025 PKR congress he lost the deputy-presidency to Nurul Izzah Anwar by 9,803 to 3,866; he then resigned as Minister of Economy on 16 June 2025 and subsequently exited PKR.
Other Factions
- Reformasi Loyalists: Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (Home), William Leong, Sim Tze Tzin - Next Generation Activists: Howard Lee, Adam Adli - Family Wing: Nurul Izzah Anwar; Nurul Nuha Anwar - State-Government Wing: Amirudin Shari (Selangor MB), Aminuddin Harun (NS MB), Chow Kon Yeow (Penang, technically DAP but PKR coalition)
Current Leadership (2026)
President: Anwar Ibrahim
- Born 10 August 1947, Bukit Mertajam area, Penang - MP for Tambun, Perak (since GE15) - 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia (since 24 November 2022) - Concurrent Finance Minister - Former Finance Minister (1991-1998), Deputy PM (1993-1998) under Mahathir - Imprisoned 1999-2004 (sodomy I/corruption); 2015-2018 (sodomy II) - ASEAN Chair 2025 - Religious: Sunni Muslim; former ABIM leader (1971-1982); modernist
Deputy President: Nurul Izzah Anwar (since May 2025) - Born 19 November 1980; eldest daughter of Anwar and Wan Azizah - Senior Economic and Financial Advisor to the PM (since 18 October 2023) - Defeated Rafizi Ramli at May 2025 congress for the deputy presidency - Former MP Lembah Pantai (2008-2018) and Permatang Pauh (2018-2022)
Secretary-General: Saifuddin Nasution Ismail
- Born 16 December 1961, Kulim, Kedah - MP for Kulim-Bandar Baharu - Minister of Home Affairs (since December 2022) - Long-time Anwar loyalist; lost Deputy President race to Rafizi May 2022
Vice-Presidents (elected May 2025 congress)
1. Aminuddin Harun - Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan 2. Chang Lih Kang - Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation 3. Fuziah Salleh - Deputy Minister, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living 4. (Fourth VP slot per congress results)
State-Level Leaders
- Selangor MB: Amirudin Shari (PKR) - since 19 June 2018 - Negeri Sembilan MB: Aminuddin Harun (PKR) - since 14 May 2018 - Penang: Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow is DAP; PKR holds key state EXCO portfolios
Wings
- Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) - youth wing; Chief: Adam Adli - Wanita Keadilan - women's wing; Chief: Fadhlina Sidek (Education Minister)
Religious Affairs
- Mohd Naim Mokhtar - Minister in PM's Department (Religious Affairs) - PKR's religious framing tilts pluralist-modernist vs PAS's ulama-conservative
Notable Backbenchers (2026)
- Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (founder; semi-retired) - Nurul Nuha Anwar - Howard Lee - William Leong
PKR in Cabinet (Madani Government, December 2022 - present)
Full PKR-Held Portfolios (as of May 2026, post-2024 reshuffles)
| Portfolio | Minister | Constituency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister + Finance | Anwar Ibrahim | Tambun | Concurrent PM and Finance Minister since Dec 2022 |
| Finance II | Amir Hamzah Azizan | Senator | Also acting Economy Minister from 18 Dec 2024 |
| Home Affairs | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail | Kulim-Bandar Baharu | PKR Sec-Gen |
| Communications | Fahmi Fadzil | Lembah Pantai | MCMC oversight; party comms spokesperson |
| Investment, Trade and Industry | Tengku Zafrul Aziz | Senator | Former Finance Min (BN); joined PKR Sep 2024 |
| Science, Technology and Innovation | Chang Lih Kang | Tanjong Malim | PKR VP |
| Education | Fadhlina Sidek | Nibong Tebal | PKR; Wanita Chief |
| Economy (vacant/acting) | Amir Hamzah Azizan (acting) | - | Following Rafizi resignation 16 Jun 2025 |
| Senior Economic and Financial Advisor to PM | Nurul Izzah Anwar | - | Advisor rank, since 18 Oct 2023 |
| Health (PKR-aligned) | Dzulkefly Ahmad | Kuala Selangor | Amanah technically; coalition partner |
Major Coalition Portfolios (Non-PKR but Unity Government)
| Portfolio | Minister | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy PM (1) | Ahmad Zahid Hamidi | UMNO |
| Deputy PM (2) | Fadillah Yusof | GPS |
| Plantation and Commodities | Johari Abdul Ghani | UMNO/PKR-aligned |
| Higher Education | Zambry Abdul Kadir | UMNO |
| Local Government Development | Nga Kor Ming | DAP |
| Tourism, Arts and Culture | Tiong King Sing | GPS (PDP) |
| Natural Resources, Environment, Climate Change | (post-Nik Nazmi reshuffle) | - |
(Full Madani Cabinet has 32 full ministers across PKR, DAP, UMNO/BN, GPS, GRS, Amanah.)
Departures from Cabinet (post-Dec 2022)
- Rafizi Ramli (Economy) - resigned 16 June 2025 - Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (NRECC) - departed in a 2024-2025 reshuffle cycle - Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (Deputy Foreign Minister) - resigned 2025 - Yin Shao Loong (Deputy Investment Minister) - reassigned 2023
Acting/Replacement Appointments
- Economy: Amir Hamzah Azizan (acting from mid-June 2025) - concurrent with Finance II - NRECC: reorganised under Johari Abdul Ghani briefly
PKR's Share of Cabinet
- Approximately 9 of 32 full ministers (28%) - largest single-party share - DAP: ~5 ministers - UMNO: ~6 ministers (incl DPM Zahid) - GPS: 2 ministers - GRS: 1 minister - Amanah: 1 minister
Prime Minister's Department - Ministerial Portfolios (PMO)
The PM's Department has historically been a vehicle for portfolio-balancing across coalition. Under Anwar, the structure includes: - Minister in PMD (Law and Institutional Reform) - Azalina Othman Said (UMNO; appointed 3 Dec 2022) - Minister in PMD (Religious Affairs) - Mohd Naim Mokhtar (PKR-aligned) - Minister in PMD (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs / Federal Territories) - varying rotation - Senior Economic and Financial Advisor to the PM - Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR; since 18 October 2023)
Madani Government Reshuffles (key dates)
- 3 December 2022: Initial 28-member Madani Cabinet sworn in by Agong Sultan Abdullah - December 2023: First minor reshuffle - deputy minister adjustments - 2024: Minor reshuffles; Nik Nazmi departure from NRECC - June 2025: Major reshuffle following Rafizi resignation; Amir Hamzah Azizan acting Economy - Post-May 2025 congress: Further adjustments after PKR leadership changes
Electoral Numbers
Parliamentary Seats (PKR alone)
| Election | Date | Seats | % of 222 | PR/PH Coalition Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE10 | 29 Nov 1999 | 5 | 2% | 45 (BA - with PAS, DAP) |
| GE11 | 21 Mar 2004 | 1 | 0.5% | 19 (BA) |
| GE12 | 8 Mar 2008 | 31 | 14% | 82 (PR) |
| GE13 | 5 May 2013 | 30 | 14% | 89 (PR) |
| GE14 | 9 May 2018 | 47 | 21% | 113 (PH) - won govt |
| GE15 | 19 Nov 2022 | 31 | 14% | 82 (PH) - unity govt |
Vote Share (PKR alone)
- GE12: ~21% national - GE14: ~22% - GE15: ~14% (PH lost rural Malay seats to PAS Green Wave)
State Governments Held
- Selangor: PKR (Amirudin) - held since 2008 succession: Khalid Ibrahim (2008-2014) > Mohamed Azmin Ali (2014-2018) > Amirudin Shari (2018-present) - Negeri Sembilan: PKR (Aminuddin Harun) - held since May 2018 - Penang: PKR is coalition partner (DAP-led under Chow Kon Yeow) - Sabah: PKR holds Federal MPs but state-level minority
Selangor: PKR's Crown Jewel
Selangor is Malaysia's richest state by GDP and PKR's most important power base. Held continuously by Pakatan since the 2008 GE12 breakthrough.
Menteri Besar Succession
- Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (PKR) - MB 13 March 2008 to 23 September 2014. Ex-PNB CEO. Removed in the "Kajang Move" / Khalid-Azmin internal feud (Anwar bypassed by Khalid-supporting Sultan; eventually Sultan accepted Azmin) - Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR) - MB 23 September 2014 to 19 June 2018. Selangor as Azmin power base - Amirudin Shari (PKR) - MB since 19 June 2018; reappointed after the 2023 state election
Selangor State Assembly (after 12 August 2023 state polls, 56 seats)
- PH-BN bloc: 32 seats - PKR: approximately 17 seats - DAP: approximately 11 seats - Amanah: approximately 2 seats - BN (UMNO): approximately 2 seats - PN: 22 seats (Bersatu + PAS) - Independents/others: 2
Why Selangor Matters
- State GDP roughly RM 400+ billion (~25% of national GDP) - Houses Klang Valley urban industrial belt: Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya, Subang - State budget approximately RM 2.7 billion (2026 budget) - Selangor state government oversees Air Selangor (water utility), Menteri Besar Incorporated, Worldwide Holdings
Selangor Issues 2023-2026
- Water rationing controversies (2023) - Industrial-zone expansion debates - Floods and infrastructure resilience post-2021 mega-flood
State Assembly Detail (2023 polls)
12 August 2023 State Elections (6 simultaneous)
| State | Assembly Total | PH-BN | PN | Outcome | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selangor | 56 | 32 | 22 | PH-BN retained | Amirudin Shari (PKR) |
| Penang | 40 | 31 | 11 | PH-BN retained | Chow Kon Yeow (DAP) |
| Negeri Sembilan | 36 | 32 | 5 | PH-BN retained | Aminuddin Harun (PKR) |
| Kedah | 36 | 3 | 33 | PN landslide | Sanusi Md Nor (PN) |
| Kelantan | 45 | 1 | 43 | PN crush | Mohd Nassuruddin (PN) |
| Terengganu | 32 | 0 | 32 | PN total sweep | Ahmad Samsuri (PN) |
PKR State Breakdown by Assembly
Selangor (56 seats)
- PKR: ~17 of 56 - largest PH component in Selangor - Key PKR-held DUNs: Bukit Antarabangsa, Selat Klang, Seri Setia, Subang Jaya, Kajang, Bandar Utama - EXCO PKR portfolios: Investment/Industry, Public Amenities, Youth & Sports
Negeri Sembilan (36 seats)
- PKR: ~9 of 36; DAP ~12; BN/UMNO ~11 - MB: Aminuddin Harun (PKR) - Key PKR DUNs: Sikamat, Rahang, Lobak
Penang (40 seats)
- DAP: ~19; PKR: ~9; BN: ~3; Amanah: 0; PN: ~11 - PKR controls EXCO portfolios in Penang under DAP-led government
Federal-vs-State Mismatch
- PKR's rural Malay-belt weakness at federal level (Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu wipeout) mirrors its state-assembly position - the party has no realistic east-coast state-level presence - The "Green Wave" (PAS dominance) of GE15 was confirmed and consolidated at state level in August 2023
Foreign Policy and International Engagements
Anwar Ibrahim brings PKR an unusual depth of personal international network - built across 40 years from ABIM (1970s), Finance Ministry (1990s), and the global solidarity campaigns of his imprisonment years (2000s, 2015-2018).
Palestine and Hamas Engagement
- May 2023: Anwar publicly met with Ismail Haniyeh (then Hamas political bureau chief) in Kuala Lumpur. The meeting was condemned by the US State Department but defended by Anwar as consistent with Malaysia's long-standing non-recognition of Israel and support for Palestinian statehood - October 2023 onwards: Following the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and the Israel-Gaza war, Anwar refused to condemn Hamas, framing the conflict as resistance to occupation - Malaysia hosts Hamas political contacts in KL; no formal diplomatic ties
Muslim Brotherhood-Adjacent Networks
- Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Turkey) - long-standing personal relationship; Anwar has spoken at AKP events - Rachid Ghannouchi (Tunisia, Ennahda) - decades-old intellectual friendship dating to the 1970s ABIM era; Anwar campaigned for Ghannouchi during his Tunisian imprisonment - Yusuf al-Qaradawi (Egypt-Qatar) - intellectual influence on Anwar's Islamic-modernist thinking (Qaradawi died 2022) - Khurshid Ahmad (Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami intellectual) - long-standing intellectual contact
ASEAN Chair 2025
- Malaysia chaired ASEAN under the theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability" - KL hosted the ASEAN-GCC-China trilateral summit (May 2025) - Anwar pushed for a unified ASEAN position on the Myanmar civil war - ASEAN dialogues with East Timor (accession in progress), South Korea, Australia, India advanced under chairmanship
China Engagement
- Belt and Road Initiative projects: ECRL (East Coast Rail Link), Forest City Johor - Two Country Twin Parks (Qinzhou and Kuantan Industrial Parks) - 2024: Premier Li Qiang visit to KL - KL-Singapore HSR revival exploratory talks (2024-2025)
United States
- Anwar visited Washington (2024) - State Department engagement - Trade dialogue continues despite tensions over Hamas policy - Defence cooperation (Cobra Gold exercises continued)
Saudi Arabia and Gulf
- Anwar attended GCC summits; Malaysia is regular guest - 2024 ASEAN-Saudi summit role - Anwar co-chaired - Multiple state visits to Riyadh; Malaysian Hajj-quota negotiations
Multilateral Memberships
- PKR is a member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) - Malaysia is a member of OIC, NAM, Commonwealth, ASEAN, APEC, RCEP, CPTPP
Domestic Foreign-Policy Controversies
- Israeli ships barred from Malaysian ports (announced December 2023) - Telekom Malaysia cancelled software contracts with Israeli-linked vendors (2023) - Public criticism of US Gaza policy at UNGA September 2024
Government Performance and 2027 Outlook
Anwar Government Cabinet Structure (December 2022 - present)
- PKR holds approximately 9 of 32 full ministerial positions - DAP holds approximately 5 - BN (UMNO, MCA) holds approximately 6 - GPS holds 2 (Deputy PM Fadillah + Tourism) - GRS holds 1 - Amanah holds 1 (Health/Agriculture portfolio rotation) - Bersatu/PN excluded from cabinet
Key Policy Achievements (2022-2026)
- Successful 2023 state elections (held 3 of 6: Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan) - Delivered ASEAN Chair 2025 programme - Targeted diesel subsidies (10 June 2024) - 2% dividend tax >RM100k (YA2025) - Progressive Wage Policy pilot - Federal Court upheld seat tenure under the Anti-Party Hopping Act 2022 - Ringgit recovery from ~RM4.80/USD (Oct 2023) to ~RM4.30 (mid-2025) - GDP growth approximately 5.1% (2024)
Key Policy Failures or Setbacks
- Sedition Act repeal: not implemented - OSA reform: stalled - MACC autonomy bill: stalled - KK Mart "Allah socks" episode (March-April 2024): tested coalition unity - 2024 anti-LGBT crackdowns under UMNO/PAS pressure; PKR criticised by progressive base - Cost-of-living complaints persistent
Coalition Politics (Unity Govt)
PKR governs alongside: - DAP (40 seats) - most aligned coalition partner - Amanah (8) - Islamic-progressive ally - UMNO (26) - historical enemy, now junior partner; tensions over Court Cluster - MCA (2), MIC (1) - minor BN partners - GPS (23) - Sarawak coalition; transactional support - GRS (6) - Sabah; smaller influence - PN excluded but PAS occasionally votes with govt on cross-cutting bills
Internal PKR Stability
The Rafizi exit from cabinet (December 2024) and from the party (2025) weakens PKR's long-term institutional coherence on the reformist flank. The May 2025 Nurul Izzah victory consolidated the Anwar/family bloc.
GE16 Outlook (must be held by November 2027)
- Best case: PH retains 80+ seats; unity government continues - Realistic case: PH wins 70-80; PN wins 80+; another hung parliament - Worst case: PN majority; PH back to opposition
Anwar Succession Question
At 80 in 2027, Anwar's eventual succession is the central question. PKR has not historically had stable succession (Wan Azizah > Anwar > Azmin defected > Rafizi exited). The May 2025 elevation of Nurul Izzah signals a family-led continuity bet; whether the broader party and unity-government coalition will accept dynastic transition is the open question.
Court Cluster: The Fault Line That Cost PKR Rafizi
"Court Cluster" refers to senior coalition partners facing corruption charges who entered Anwar's unity government. The fault line over how to treat them split PKR internally.
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Deputy Prime Minister since 3 December 2022)
- Charges (filed 2018-2019): 47 total - 12 counts criminal breach of trust under Penal Code s.409, 8 counts money laundering under AMLATFPUAA 2001 s.4(1)(a), 27 counts bribery under MACC Act 2009 s.16(a)(B) - Alleged amount: approximately RM 31 million siphoned from Yayasan Akalbudi (a charitable foundation Zahid chaired) - DNAA: Granted 4 September 2023 by Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah on application by the Attorney-General - Status: Walks free; remains DPM, Rural and Regional Development Minister, UMNO President
Najib Razak (Former PM 2009-2018)
- SRC International case: Sentenced 28 July 2020 by Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali - 12 years jail + RM 210m fine for 7 charges (3 CBT, 3 money laundering, 1 abuse of power) involving RM 42m transferred to Najib's AmIslamic Bank accounts from SRC International (1MDB subsidiary) - Appeals exhausted: Federal Court upheld conviction 23 August 2022 (5-0 panel) - Pardon: Pardons Board (under then-Agong Sultan Abdullah) on 2 February 2024 - sentence halved to 6 years; fine reduced to RM 50m - 1MDB-Tanore trial: Charges over US$681m (approximately RM 2.6b) transferred from Tanore Finance Corp to Najib's personal accounts - trial ongoing at KL High Court
Rosmah Mansor (Najib's wife)
- Conviction: 1 September 2022 - 10 years jail + RM 970m fine on 3 charges relating to RM 1.25b Sarawak rural solar hybrid project (charges: 1 corruption + 2 soliciting bribes under MACC Act 2009 s.16) - Appeal: Court of Appeal hearing ongoing
Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (former Federal Territories Minister)
- Convicted 22 May 2019 - 12 months jail + RM 2m fine for receiving RM 2m - Federal Court overturned conviction (2023); fully acquitted
The Internal PKR Argument
Rafizi's public position: "Reformasi cannot share a cabinet table with Court Cluster. We built this party against this exact dynamic in 1998-99." Anwar's position: coalition stability requires accepting the Attorney-General's prosecutorial discretion; the AG's independence - protected by Federal Constitution Article 145(3) - is what reform demands.
This fault line, plus GLC reform pace and subsidy sequencing, are the three core drivers of Rafizi's exit. See /bersama-guide for the post-PKR story.
Reformasi-Era Allies Who Later Split
PKR's founding cohort included Reformasi-era figures who later left the party in waves. The pattern: founding generation departures (2001-2003), Sheraton Move defectors (2020), Rafizi-aligned exits (2025).
Wave 1: Founding-Generation Departures (2001-2005)
Chandra Muzaffar - founding Deputy President of Parti Keadilan Nasional (1999). Public intellectual, academic at Universiti Malaya, founder of JUST International. Left PKR in 2001 citing differences over party direction. Subsequently positioned as a critic from outside, though he has occasionally engaged with PKR ideas. His 1990s books on Islamic-resurgence theory influenced Anwar's early Islam Madani framework.
Marina Yusoff - founding Vice-President of Keadilan; former UMNO Wanita figure who joined Wan Azizah's 1999 launch. Left PKR over factional disputes in the early 2000s.
Ezam Mohd Nor - founding Youth Chief; one of the "Reformasi 10" detained under ISA 2001. Left PKR around 2008, briefly rejoined UMNO in 2008 (becoming Senator), then later independent. His departure was bitter and personal.
Tian Chua (Chua Tian Chang) - long-serving PKR Vice-President; "Reformasi 10" detainee; MP for Batu (2008-2018). Disqualified from contesting GE14 due to prior conviction. Faded from frontline politics; remained PKR-aligned.
Hishamuddin Rais - filmmaker, activist, "Reformasi 10" detainee. Did not formally join PKR; remained in civil society. Continued to engage with progressive politics from outside party structures.
Marina Mahathir - Mahathir Mohamad's daughter, civil-society activist, columnist. Never a PKR member; relations with Anwar warmed during the 2018-2020 PH government period, cooled after Sheraton Move; her independent civil-society voice continues.
Wave 2: Sheraton Move (February 2020)
The 23-24 February 2020 Sheraton meeting at the Sheraton Petaling Jaya hotel saw Mohamed Azmin Ali lead approximately 10 PKR MPs out of the party.
Mohamed Azmin Ali (the principal defector) - PKR Deputy President 2014-2020; Anwar's closest political confidant for three decades (UMNO Youth days through Reformasi). MB Selangor 2014-2018. Took the Senior Minister + MITI portfolio under Muhyiddin (March 2020) and continued under Ismail Sabri (August 2021). Lost his Gombak federal seat in GE15 (November 2022). Remains a Bersatu figure with reduced national profile.
Other Sheraton-Move PKR defectors (approximately): Zuraida Kamaruddin (Ampang), Saifuddin Abdullah (Indera Mahkota - later returned to Bersatu, not PKR), Edmund Santhara, Mansor Othman, Kamaruddin Jaffar, Ali Biju, Jonathan Yasin, and others. Most lost or did not contest in GE15.
Wave 3: Rafizi-Aligned Exits (2024-2025)
Rafizi Ramli - PKR Deputy President 17 July 2022 - 24 May 2025; Minister of Economy December 2022 - 16 June 2025. Lost the May 2025 deputy-presidency contest to Nurul Izzah Anwar; exited PKR. Subsequently associated with Parti Bersama Malaysia (PBM). See /bersama-guide.
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad - former Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister; departed in the December 2024 reshuffle context.
Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir - former Deputy Foreign Minister; resigned 2025 in the post-Rafizi-resignation wave.
Hassan Karim - MP for Pasir Gudang; vocal Rafizi-aligned backbencher; under show-cause and exit process during 2025.
Howard Lee - Party Vice-President briefly elected at the May 2025 congress; later reported to have shifted toward PBM.
Pattern Analysis
- Wave 1 (2001-2005): ideological differences in a new party - Wave 2 (2020): power-elite calculation around the Mahathir-Bersatu axis - Wave 3 (2024-2025): reformist-purist vs coalition-pragmatist split, exacerbated by Rafizi's personal style
PKR's May 2025 "Loyalty Resolution" - requiring all PKR-mandated MPs to declare in writing that they will not join breakaway parties - was a direct institutional response.
PKR State EXCO Portfolios
Beyond the two PKR-led MB states (Selangor, Negeri Sembilan), PKR holds EXCO seats in Penang (under DAP-led government) and shares in coalition portfolios in Pahang, Perak, and elsewhere where post-GE15 unity-government coalition extends to state level.
Selangor EXCO (PKR portfolios under MB Amirudin Shari)
- MB: Amirudin Shari (PKR) - Bandar Baru Klang - Investment, Trade, Mobility, Small Medium Industry (PKR) - Public Health and Environment (PKR) - Tourism, Sports and Entrepreneurship (PKR/DAP rotation) - Education, Human Resource, Science (PKR/DAP) - Public Amenities (PKR) - Housing and Local Government (DAP traditionally)
Negeri Sembilan EXCO (PKR portfolios under MB Aminuddin Harun)
- MB: Aminuddin Harun (PKR) - Sikamat - Investment, Industry and Entrepreneurship (PKR) - Public Works and Transport (PKR) - Education and Human Capital (PKR) - Rural Development (BN/UMNO under coalition) - Tourism, Arts, Culture (DAP)
Penang EXCO (PKR portfolios under CM Chow Kon Yeow, DAP)
- PKR holds approximately 4 EXCO portfolios out of 11 total - Areas typically held: Welfare, Caring Society, Environment; Youth, Sports; Tourism
Other States with PKR Involvement
- Pahang - PKR has small federal presence; state government is BN/UMNO-led under MB Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail; PKR not in state EXCO - Perak - PH-BN unity government at state level; PKR holds EXCO seats including in Investment and Local Government portfolios; MB is Saarani Mohamad (UMNO) - Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu - PN-controlled; PKR has minimal or zero state presence - Johor - BN-led state; PKR has minor federal presence; not in state EXCO - Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang - PH-BN coalition; PKR has cabinet/EXCO seats - Sabah - GRS-led state government with PH support arrangement; PKR has federal MPs but no state EXCO - Sarawak - GPS-dominated; PKR has minimal Sarawak presence (DAP is the PH face in Sarawak)
Detailed Electoral History
Federal Parliamentary Performance (PKR alone, since founding)
| GE | Date | Seats Won | Total Contested | Vote Share (approx) | Coalition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GE10 | 29 Nov 1999 | 5 | 60 | 11.5% | Barisan Alternatif |
| GE11 | 21 Mar 2004 | 1 | 58 | 8.9% | Barisan Alternatif |
| GE12 | 8 Mar 2008 | 31 | 97 | ~21% | Pakatan Rakyat |
| GE13 | 5 May 2013 | 30 | 98 | ~20% | Pakatan Rakyat |
| GE14 | 9 May 2018 | 47 | 51 | ~22% | Pakatan Harapan |
| GE15 | 19 Nov 2022 | 31 | 64 | ~14% | Pakatan Harapan |
Key By-Election Wins
- 26 August 2008: Permatang Pauh - Anwar Ibrahim def. Arif Shah Omar Shah (BN) by 15,671 majority (returned to Parliament after sodomy I sentence served) - 13 October 2018: Port Dickson - Anwar Ibrahim def. 6 candidates including Mohd Nazari Mokhtar (PAS) by 23,560 majority - 11 November 2023 (Pulai federal): PKR's Suhaizan Kaiat def. PN candidate by approximately 14,000 majority - Selangor 2023 state polls: PH-BN held Selangor 32-22 against PN
Critical Sodomy I Trial - Court Detail (for the record)
- High Court trial commenced November 1998 - Convicted 14 April 1999 on 4 corruption/abuse-of-power charges (the trial widely referred to as "Sodomy I" though the conviction was on corruption); 6 years' imprisonment - Sodomy charge tried separately: convicted 8 August 2000; 9 years' jail consecutive - Court of Appeal upheld sodomy conviction (2003) - Federal Court overturned the sodomy conviction by 2-1 majority on 2 September 2004; Anwar released the same day after serving the corruption sentence
Sodomy II - Court Detail
- Complaint filed 28 June 2008 by Saiful Bukhari Azlan - High Court (Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah presiding) acquittal 9 January 2012 - Court of Appeal reversed acquittal 7 March 2014 - 5 years' jail - Federal Court (CJ Arifin Zakaria presiding panel) upheld the conviction on 10 February 2015 - Anwar entered Sungai Buloh Prison; royal pardon 16 May 2018
Federal Court Seat-Anti-Hopping Cases
- Federal Court rulings under the Anti-Party Hopping Act 2022 (effective from October 2022) have upheld the principle that defecting MPs vacate their seats; multiple Sheraton-era and post-GE15 cases have tested the regime
Sources & References
Data in this guide is cross-referenced against the following official sources.
- PKR Official Official party website, leadership, policies, press statements
- Prime Minister's Office (Madani Economy) Official Madani Economy framework, Budget speeches and policy announcements
- Election Commission Malaysia Official GE results, seat tallies and by-election data
- Parliament of Malaysia Hansard, MP profiles, and Anti-Party Hopping Act filings
- Federal Court of Malaysia Judgments on Anwar's convictions, the Nik Elin Kelantan ruling, and constitutional cases