Anwar Ibrahim Biography

(Malaysian Politician)

Birthday: August 10, 1947 (Leo)

Born In: Bukit Mertajam

Anwar Ibrahim aka Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim aka Anwar bin Ibrahim is a prominent Malaysian politician. Born to a relatively wealthy family, Anwar learned from a young age about leadership from his parents, both of whom were involved in politics. As his country transitioned from its colonial roots to full sovereignty, he joined a growing groundswell of patriotic and ethnic pride. Using his confidence and leadership skills, he became a student leader, widely-renowned for his religious and cultural passions. Ibrahim then joined a powerful political party, and quickly rose through the ranks. After serving as a number of different positions in the cabinet, he was apparently seen as the heir to the long-time ruling strongman. But when a financial crisis caused a divergence of views, Ibrahim was cast down from power and sent to jail. Taking advantage of sodomy laws, his political enemies used extremely weak circumstantial evidence to keep him imprisoned. After a court later reversed the charges, Ibrahim was once again snared up in a sting relating to his sexuality, which is the subject of much intolerance and condemnation in his homeland. Although Ibrahim is widely respected in the west, particularly for his pro-market economics views, the ruling powers of his home country are consistently determined to repress him politically by any means necessary.
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Quick Facts

Age: 76 Years, 76 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Wan Azizah Wan Ismail

father: Ibrahim Abdul Rahman

mother: Che Yan Hussein

children: Ehsan Anwar, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Nurul Nuha Anwar

Quotes By Anwar Ibrahim Political Leaders

political ideology: Political party - United Malays National Organisation (1982–1998), People's Justice Party (2006–present), Other political affiliations - Barisan Nasional (1982–1998), Pakatan Rakyat (2006–present)

Founder/Co-Founder: People's Justice Party, International Institute of Islamic Thought, Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia

More Facts

education: University of Malaya, Malay College Kuala Kangsar

Childhood & Early Life
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was born on April 20, 1947 in Cherok Tok Kun, Bukit Mertajam, in the Penang region of the Malayan Union. His father was Ibrahim Abdul Rahman, who worked as a porter in a hospital. His mother, Che Yan, was a full-time mother. Later, both of his parents became politicians, his father retiring as a cabinet minister.
Initially, Anwar traveled to Sekolah Melayu Cherok To'Kun for his primary school but then later transferred to Sekolah Rendah Stowell, and finished his high school education at ‘Bukit Mertajam’ in Penang.
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Career
In 1968, Ibrahim enrolled at the ‘University of Malaya’ in Kuala Lumpur. He immediately began to assume the mantle of leadership, quickly becoming elected president of the ‘National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students’. He became quickly known for his fervent pro-Islamic views.
The young leader then shouldered on further responsibility, becoming elected the president of the University of Malaya's ‘Malay Language Society’. The next year he then became a co-founder of the ‘Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia’ while also serving as the president of the ‘Malaysian Youth Council’.
In 1974, he was arrested for participating in a student protest against rural poverty. Owing to his country's draconian security laws, he spent nearly two years in jail without a trial.
From 1975-82, he was chosen to represent the entire Asia Pacific region at the ‘World Assembly of Muslim Youth’.
In 1991, Mahathir bin Mohamed rose to lead the ‘United Malays National Organization’ (UMNO). After general elections, he became the Prime Minister.
Although Anwar was the president of multiple organizations, he surprised many supporters in 1982 when he joined the UMNO. Almost immediately, he was awarded with a series of ministerial posts.
In 1989, on the strength of his service as Minister of Education, he was appointed President of the UNESCO General Conference.
He was appointed as the Minister of Finance in 1991. His market reforms and economic principles coincided with a national rise in prosperity.
In 1998, Ibrahim was selected to be the Chairman of the Development Committee of World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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In 1993, he survived a party vote to become the Deputy President of Malaysia. Despite widespread allegations of corruption, he was seen as being groomed to inherit the position of Prime Minister.
In 1997, he was appointed acting Prime Minister for two months while long-time Prime Minister Mahathir was on holiday. Mahathir and Ibrahim soon began to clash, as the latter supported austerity programs favored by the IMF while Mahathir wanted to chart another course.
On September 20, 1998, Anwar was arrested. He was charged with corruption for allegedly taking steps to actively interfere with a separate police investigation. While in jail, he was personally beaten by the Inspector General of Police.
In April 1999, he was convicted of sodomy and sentenced to six years imprisonment. Following the vagaries of Malaysian law, two months later this political leader received a subsequent nine-year sentence. His conviction was widely derided globally for being a clear case of political persecution.
Later the same year, Anwar filed a civil suit against Prime Minister Mahathir for defamation.
On September 2, 2004, he had his conviction vacated by the Supreme Court of Malaysia. He then held a series of teaching positions at prestigious educational institutions, including ‘St. Antony's College’ in Oxford, ‘Johns Hopkins SAIS’ in Washington, D.C. and at the ‘School of Foreign Service’ at Georgetown University.
In November 2006, he announced he would run for office in the next elections.
In July 2008, Ibrahim was arrested on a new charge of sodomy. The arrest immediately disqualified him from the upcoming election.
His PKR party won 31 parliamentary seats. Using a technical loophole, the politician nonetheless became the Leader of the Opposition, a position he held until March 16, 2015.
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In January 2012, after an extended trial, Ibrahim was acquitted of all charges.
On March 14, 2014, an appeals court overruled the vacation and his conviction was reinstated. There was widespread global condemnation for the ruling as it was deemed blatantly politically motivated.
This eminent leader continues to be a political thorn in the side of the ruling powers in Malaysia.
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Major Works
Anwar Ibrahim was the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from December 1, 1993 to September 2, 1998. This political leader’s tenure is rife with controversies but his economic policies aimed at bringing social equality have received world-wide appreciation.
Awards & Achievements
Anwar Ibrahim was awarded the Presidential Medal by Georgetown University in 1996. He was also named a Distinguished Visiting Professor for Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in the same year.
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Personal Life & Legacy
Anwar Ibrahim is married to Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Together they have six children: son Mohd Ehsan and daughters Nurul Izzah, Nurul Nuha, Nurul Liham, Nurul Iman and Nurul Hana. Both wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and daughter Nurul Izzah are politicians.
Ibrahim is infamous for making frank statements about Israel, claiming that an Israeli public relations firm that the Malaysian government uses is directly linked to the deaths of Palestinians.
Many organizations have made substantive allegations that this political leader is anti-Semitical in some of his views. Though he supports the liberalization of Malaysia's bans on homosexual acts but is firmly opposed to the legalization of gay marriage

See the events in life of Anwar Ibrahim in Chronological Order

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Article Title
- Anwar Ibrahim Biography
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- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
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URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/anwar-ibrahim-5986.php

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