Azizah meets with local party leaders

JAKARTA (JP): Malaysian Justice Party chairwoman Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the wife of jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, met with several political party leaders here on Monday.

Azizah said she met with Golkar Party chairman and House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung and National Mandate Party (PAN) deputy chairman and House Deputy Speaker A.M. Fatwa in a bid to strengthen her party's relationship with Indonesia's political leaders.

She also spoke with Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman and Minister of Law and Legislation Yusril Ihza Mahendra and State Minister of the Empowerment of Women Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who is also the former deputy chairwoman of the National Awakening Party (PKB).

During her visit, Azizah voiced discontent with the process of democratization in Malaysia. "We never know when Malaysia will change; currently two out of three seats in the parliament are occupied by the ruling UMNO," she said after meeting with Akbar.

She said a reform movement took place in her country, but "it was won by those in power, while in Indonesia it was won by the reformists".

Azizah was here to speak at a three-day seminar, which ended on Monday, on the democratic transition in Asia. She paid a courtesy call on President Abdurrahman Wahid on Saturday.

"The President is sympathetic but he maintains the principle of noninterference. I appreciate that," she said. (jun)