Date: Thursday 18 March 2010
Time: 5-6pm
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Anwar Ibrahim
Chair: Professor John Sidel

Anwar Ibrahim is a former Deputy Prime Minister (1993-1998) and Finance Minister (1991-1998) of Malaysia. He was dismissed from office in 1998 and imprisoned after a trial condemned by many critics as a "sham" orchestrated by the government led by Dr Mahathir Mohamed. After serving six years in prison, Anwar was released after the Malaysian courts overturned his conviction. Anwar taught and lectured at Oxford University, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and Georgetown University, lecturing extensively on issues of governance, democracy and contemporary politics in Southeast Asia.

In the 12th Malaysian General Elections in March 2008, Anwar forged a political coalition called the Pakatan Rakyat, encompassing the People's Justice Party (PKR), the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), and the Democratic Action Party (DAP). This coalition won a sizeable minority of seats in the national parliament and gained control of six of Malaysia's fourteen states and territories. A by-election held in August 2008 gave Anwar the opportunity to recapture the parliamentary seat which he had held for 18 years until his imprisonment in 1998. He is currently the leader of the Opposition in the Malaysian Parliament.

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