The People's Justice Party (, PKR or KEADILAN) is a reformist political party in Malaysia. It was founded in 2003 through the merger of its predecessor, the National Justice Party (KeADILan), with the socialist Malaysian People's Party (PRM). The party's predecessor was founded in 1999 by Wan Azizah Wan Ismail during the height of the Reformasi movement triggered by the imprisonment of her husband, former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Following the 2022 election that resulted in a hung parliament, the party governs Malaysia through a unity government led by Anwar Ibrahim as the tenth Prime Minister of Malaysia.
In the first general election of its predecessor in 1999, the party won five seats in the Dewan Rakyat. A resurgence by the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) in 2004 reduced PKR to a single seat in the traditional stronghold of Permatang Pauh. The 2008 election produced a substantial swing to the opposition, with PKR increasing its representation to 31 seats and forming the government in five states. The 2008 results also precipitated the resignation of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the lifting of Anwar Ibrahim's five-year political ban on 14 April 2008.
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, of which PKR is a founding and principal member, defeated Barisan Nasional at the 2018 general election, ending BN's uninterrupted 60-year rule since independence. However, defections from the faction aligned to Azmin Ali within the party and the withdrawal of BERSATU triggered the collapse of the PH government after just 22 months, leading to the 2020–2022 political crisis. The party returned to government after the 2022 general election which resulted in Malaysia's first hung parliament. A unity government arrangement between Pakatan Harapan, former rivals Barisan Nasional, and several Borneo-based parties enabled the formation of a federal government led by Anwar Ibrahim.
The multiracial party advocates for institutional reform and economic justice, drawing its strongest support from urban and semi-urban constituencies, particularly in the states of Selangor, Penang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, and the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The party's platform emphasises Reformasi-era priorities such as anti-corruption measures and social justice.
History Origins
During the 1997 Asian financial crisis, a political rift developed between Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. As the Malaysian ringgit depreciated by over 60 per cent against the US dollar, Anwar argued with increasing frequency for structural reforms. Under his authority as Finance Minister, Anwar sought to alleviate the economic fallout by instituting a series of economic reforms and austerity measures, which reduced government spending by 18%, cut ministerial salaries, and deferred several megaprojects that formed the cornerstone of Mahathir's development strategy. The policies directly conflicted with Mahathir's stance, which favoured an expansionary approach and blamed the nation's economic instability solely on currency speculation by figures like George Soros. Mahathir advocated instead for isolationist policies and currency convertibility fixes, contrasting heavily with Anwar's free-market reforms that he interpreted as a challenge to his administration. The situation escalated when Anwar proposed amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act that sought to expand the powers of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA). Mahathir strongly opposed the measures, causing their relationship to significantly deteriorate towards the end of 1998. The disagreements grew into a larger rift as Anwar began touring the country and speaking publicly, which Mahathir perceived as a vehicle for growing anti-administration dissent. Although Anwar was Mahathir's own protégé and held substantial influence within both the party and government, their conflicting views culminated in Mahathir dismissing him from all cabinet posts on 2 September 1998. He was then expelled from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) the day after.
The dismissal was not unexpected, having been preceded by structural manoeuvers designed to undermine Anwar's authority. Behind the scenes, Mahathir had systematically bypassed his deputy by transferring responsibility over economic policymaking to his close ally, Daim Zainuddin. This political fracturing culminated in early September 1998, when Anwar's removal coincided with the sudden imposition of stringent capital controls. On 1 September, Mahathir announced a dramatic pivot away from Anwar's free-market policies, introducing sweeping currency exchange controls and pegging the Malaysian ringgit at 3.8 to the US dollar. The very next day, Anwar was dismissed from his positions as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister. Financial analysts suggested that the precise timing of the capital controls was designed to preemptively prevent capital flight triggered by Anwar's anticipated arrest. Although their primary divide emerged from national economic policy, Anwar was ostensibly fired over claims of sexual misconduct. Before formal charges were even laid, Mahathir publicly accused Anwar of adultery and sodomy, alleging that his deputy had staged a cover-up of the scandals. However, the claims were later revealed to be false as part of a targeted defamation campaign to discredit Anwar.
The removal of Anwar triggered an immediate crisis of loyalty within UMNO and the civil service. Tensions had already mounted at the June 1998 UMNO General Assembly, where copies of a defamatory book titled 50 Dalil Mengapa Anwar Tidak Boleh Jadi PM ("50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Be Prime Minister") mysteriously appeared in the delegate bags of attendees. Speculation grew that Anwar was planning a party coup, catalysed by uncertainties surrounding Mahathir's unfulfilled promises of a political succession plan. The party eventually fractured following the sacking. A large contingent of party leaders who were considered "Anwaristas" openly rebelled, while others privately confessed dissatisfaction but suppressed their doubts, choosing instead to remain loyal to the establishment. Although the political elite generally complied, their stance contrasted sharply with broader public sentiment. Leaked Special Branch reports and independent surveys revealed that up to 80% of civil servants and party members, 60% of university students, and an overwhelming majority of Malay voters had withdrawn support from Mahathir, whereas rural villages remained evenly split between Mahathir and Anwar.
Despite his dismissal, Anwar continued to publicly express his political views, drawing widespread popularity. The growing public discontent soon erupted into street demonstrations, culminating on 20 September when Anwar led a rally of over 50,000 demonstrators through Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur. The protest coincided with the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II for the closing ceremony of the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Hours later, a major security crackdown was launched by the state. Approximately five hundred riot police were deployed to execute Anwar's arrest, forcibly breaching the front door of his family home before taking him away in a heavily guarded van. Shortly after, sixteen of Anwar’s prominent political and civil allies were systematically detained between 20 and 29 September under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which permitted detention without trial. The invocation of the ISA effectively stripped Anwar of the constitutional and statutory protections normally granted to criminal defendants, allowing the state to hold him in an undisclosed location without formal charges. The state crackdown targeted a broad coalition of Anwar's closest allies, including key political defectors, religious leaders, and student activists. Those detained alongside Anwar under the ISA included:
Anwar Ibrahim – Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi – United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Youth Chief Ruslan Kasim – Negeri Sembilan UMNO Youth Chief Kamarudin Jaffar – Tumpat UMNO Division Chief Tamunif Mokhtar – Cheras UMNO Division Chief Zambry Abdul Kadir – Lumut UMNO Youth Chief Kamarudin Md Nor – UMNO State Assemblyman for Semerak Asmaon Ismail – UMNO State Assemblyman for Panti Abdul Malek Hussin – Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) Executive Secretary Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman – Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM) President Shaharuddin Badaruddin – ABIM Secretary-General Mukhtar Redzuan – ABIM Deputy President Abdul Halim Ismail – ABIM Vice-President Amidi Abdul Manan – National Muslim Students Association (PKPIM) President Ahmad Shabrini Md Sidek – PKPIM Secretary-General Sidek Baba – International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Deputy Rector Zulkifli Nordin – Member of Anwar Ibrahim's legal team
During his initial state custody, Anwar was subjected to a nine-day incommunicado detention where he was blindfolded and handcuffed. During this time, he was severely beaten by Inspector-General of Police Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor and denied immediate medical attention. The assault became public after Anwar appeared in court bearing visible physical injuries, most notably a swollen black eye. In tandem with his detention, the government restricted his wife’s movements in a measure that critics described as blatant political intimidation. This followed a nationwide ban on pro-reform rallies as part of a sweeping crackdown on freedom of assembly. The actions drew widespread condemnation from international observers and human rights organisations, leading Amnesty International to designate the detainees as "prisoners of conscience" targeted solely for non-violent political activities, followed by calls from the European Parliament for an independent international investigation. On 29 September, Anwar was formally indicted on nine counts of corruption and sexual misconduct, including four counts of sodomy. The vague nature of the charges, combined with subsequent recantations of several key witnesses, led to sharp criticism from international bodies, including the US Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee, which characterised the prosecution as a politically motivated effort to discredit Anwar within a conservative Muslim society. Following two highly contentious trials, Anwar was convicted of corruption and sodomy by the High Court, presided by judges Augustine Paul and respectively. Although he maintained his innocence, he was ultimately sentenced to a cumulative fifteen years in prison.
The incident provoked an unprecedented public backlash that gave birth to the Reformasi movement. Driven by widespread public anger over charges that supporters argued were politically motivated, the movement initially focused on demanding Mahathir’s resignation and an end to alleged cronyism and corruption within the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) administration. Over the years, the movement transitioned from street protests, civil disobedience, and internet activism into an organised movement demanding social justice and institutional reform. This period permanently altered the trajectory of Malaysian politics, unifying a historically fragmented opposition and establishing a political momentum that ultimately led to the defeat of Barisan Nasional in the 2018 general election, ending 61 years of one-party rule since independence.
Founding and early history (1998–1999)