Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Thursday he will contest in a by-election in a northern constituency formerly represented by his wife in a bid to return to parliament.

Wan Azizah Ismail, who is also president of Anwar's opposition National Justice Party, said she handed in her resignation letter on Thursday as member of parliament for the Permatang Pauh constituency in the northern Penang state.

Wan Azizah and Anwar made the announcement at a packed media conference at their party's headquarters in the central Selangor state.

Anwar, who is the party adviser, has been planning a political comeback since he led a three-party opposition alliance to make major gains during the March 8 general elections.

The former deputy prime minister could not contest in the elections due to a ban on holding political office, which expired in April.

Anwar was sacked from office in 1998 and charged and jailed for sodomy and corruption. He served six years in jail after being found guilty of corruption, but was later cleared of the sodomy charges.

He has maintained his innocence in both charges, and claims that he was a victim of political conspiracy to avert a challenge to then premier Mahathir Mohamad. (dpa)