Anwar Ibrahim (C) takes his oath as a member of parliament during the swearing in ceremony at Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 15, 2018. (Photo: AFP/Mohd Rasfan)

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia's Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leader Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as a member of parliament on Monday (Oct 15), but said he would not be joining Malaysia's Cabinet for the time being.

Addressing the media, Anwar said: "My priority would be to assist the government by implementing part of our manifesto that is parliamentary reform. Our parliament in the past has been considered a rubber stamp. MPs would debate but generally (whatever raised by the government) would be endorsed.

"I’m happy (to be back). I’ve been deprived of my rights from time to time ... Every time I was sent to prison I was dismissed, I had no avenue to appeal to a just court or to be adjudicated fairly but now I feel vindicated in a sense."

He added that he wants parliament to be more effective through the formation of select committees or "various other discussions" prior to debates and the tabling of laws.

The swearing in follows his victory on Saturday in the Port Dickson by-election, where the president of Malaysia’s largest ruling party bagged 31,016 votes out of a possible 43,489.

More at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/anwar-ibrahim-sworn-in-parliament-port-dickson-by-election-10827646