Malaysian democracy icon Anwar Ibrahim is one step closer to assuming the role of prime minister in 2020 after winning the Port Dickson by-election with 31,016 votes, a 23,560-vote majority, South China Morning Post reports. With the election ruling, the 71-year-old politician is set to be a member of parliament for the ruling Pakatan Harapan political and edge closer to becoming Malaysia’s next prime minister after his former nemesis and now fellow coalition member, Mahathir Mohamad. Shortly after Pakatan’s election win, Anwar received a royal pardon to allow his release from prison where he was serving a sentence for breaking laws against sodomy in a case that his supporters said was politically motivated. He needs to be elected to parliament to qualify to succeed Mahathir.