Tunisian, Egyptian Uprisings Reverberate Across Arab, Muslim World

Anwar Ibrahim, the former deputy prime minister of Malaysia who is now leader of the opposition in parliament, said the recent popular uprisings that led to the overthrow of dictators in Tunisia and Egypt will have serious repercussions across the Arab and Muslim world.

Ibrahim made the remarks on Feb. 11 at an event organized by the National Press Club International Correspondents Committee. The event packed 76 people into the McClendon Room, which normally accommodates 30.

The popular protests in the Middle East provide a unique opportunity for the United States to refashion its policy toward promoting democratic principles and economic development for the vast majority, which can prevent the rise of Islamic radicalism, according to Ibrahim.

The 63-year-old political leader, who spent six years in solitary confinement from 1998 to 2004, faces another legal challenge that could land him in jail again.

"I'm not afraid to go back, and I must fight to the last to clear my name from these trumped up charges," he said, referring to the sodomy charges he is facing at a trial now underway in Malaysia.

In reply to a question about the rise of his daughter in his party, he said it has nothing to do with dynastic politics.

"She's not Gamal Mubarak," Ibrahim said. "She has a degree from Johns Hopkins and she's well qualified to be a leader on her own."

-- Arshad Mahumud, [email protected]