A record mandate and Reformasi
1995 was a vintage year for Barisan Nasional. Winning 162 of the 192 seats with 65.1% popular votes was the best in its history.
The economic boom, an average eight percent growth per annum, record investment levels and full employment boosted Barisan’s fortunes.
On Oct 6, 1996, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah dissolved Semangat 46 and rejoined Umno.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad unveiled “Vision 2020” which aimed to make Malaysia a developed nation with a high standard of living by 2020.
The goal suffered a setback, however, when an economic crisis hit South-East Asia in 1997. By 1998, the economy had slowed somewhat but Malaysia took measures to put its economy back on track.
After weeks of rumours of a split between Dr Mahathir and his deputy over the handling the financial crisis, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sacked on Sept 2, 1998.
Anwar who was the Finance Minister claimed he was a victim of a “high-level conspiracy”. The next day, an Umno supreme council meeting expelled Anwar from Umno.
Besides being detained under the Internal Security Act, Anwar was charged in court with sodomy and corruption.
The Anwar episode in Umno politics gave birth to the reformasi movement that led to the formation of Parti Keadilan Nasional headed by his wife, Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Keadilan attracted a younger set of Umno leaders who supported Anwar and like-minded social activists who kept the reformasi fire alive while Anwar was in prison.
The party adopted the “eye” symbol in remembrance of the black eye incident where Anwar was punched by then Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor while he was in a police lock-up.
Later, Keadilan teamed up with the socialist-based Parti Rakyat Malaysia to form Parti Keadilan Rakyat.