MALAYSIA'S opposition named a candidate seen as a successor to its leader Anwar Ibrahim to run in a by-election this month which will also test the ruling coalition's popularity following moves to reduce race-based programmes.
Mr Anwar late on Tuesday picked Zaid Ibrahim, 59, a former law minister who quit the government in 2008, to run for the Hulu Selangor parliament seat on April 25. Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling National Front coalition is expected to announce its candidate for the by-election on Thursday.
The campaign for the high-stake election starts on Saturday. The vote will not alter the balance of power in parliament but will be an early verdict on Mr Najib's 'New Economic Model' launched last month to win back foreign investment and boost growth.
The government says the plan is a step toward replacing Malaysia's four-decade-old race-based affirmative action policies, triggering fears of a backlash from the majority ethnic Malay population whose support is critical to the coalition.
'For Najib, the by-election will give an indication of whether people are really buying into the New Economic Model as well as his leadership,' said Ibrahim Suffian from the independent pollster the Merdeka Centre.
An opposition victory, on the other hand, would help it regain political traction after the defection of four MPs last month amid infighting among the Islamists and Chinese secularist urban reformers who make up Mr Anwar's broad-based People's Alliance. -- REUTERS
