Malaysia's Anwar vows return to politics, defy ban

KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 10 (Reuters) Malaysian opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim declared his return to active politics today, vowing to defy a ban on his holding party office.

Anwar, a former deputy premier-turned-dissident, said he planned to stand as president of opposition party Parti Keadilan this year in defiance of the ban, which applies until April 2008.

Asked if he would contest the party polls due in June, Anwar said: ''Yes, yes I am, if I get the support of the party.'' ''It's a corrupt system to use the courts to deny my rights,'' he told Reuters after giving a speech on the West Asia conflict in Kuala Lumpur. ''I will fight. I will ignore the government.'' He rushed off in his car and did not elaborate.

Anwar, 59, was jailed in 1999 on what he called trumped-up charges of corruption and sodomy after he fell out with then-premier Mahathir Mohamad and led anti-government protests at the head of a ''Reformasi'' movement demanding political reforms.

He was released from jail in September 2004 after he was acquitted of sodomy. But his corruption conviction, for which he had already served his time, remained and this criminal record bars him from holding party or political office until April 2008.

The government is expected to call an early general election by the end of this year. In this case, Anwar would not be able to stand for parliament and would have to wait for the next election, which would not be due for five more years.

REUTERS AKJ DS530