Wan Azizah: Battle is for women

Wan Azizah: Battle is for women

BANGKOK (AFP): The wife of Malaysia's jailed former deputy
premier Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday she hoped her struggle with
the government would inspire more Asian women to enter mainstream
politics.

"I have to fight, not as a personal battle only, but for many
of the downtrodden women," said Azizah Ismail, leader of the
opposition National Justice Party at a seminar of women
parliamentarians here. She spoke at the Asia-Pacific Women
Parliamentarians' Conference here on Friday.

Calling herself an "accidental politician" who "had to learn
the ropes of the rough and rugged world of politics overnight,"
Azizah related how she stumbled into politics and talked of her
battle with the government.

She accused the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) of
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of using numerous methods to keep
women out of politics. Mahathir always "uses the fact that I'm a
woman and (my) inexperience against me," she said.