The 1999 Sabah election was held amidst great expectations among political observers and the public. It was the first election to be held since Malaysia plunged into a recession caused by the Asian currency crisis two years earlier. The ringgit was no longer convertible and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had sacked his deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, over differences in economic policy and Anwar's attempts to unseat the long serving prime minister. Anwar staged rallies throughout Peninsular Malaysia and was subsequently arrested and charged with corruption and sodomy. Anwar's expulsion from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) had raised questions about Mahathir's hold on Malaysia's dominant party and about his grip on power. There were comparisons, although inappropriate, between the Mahathir regime and the Soeharto regime in Indonesia. There were widespread street demonstration in Kuala Lumpur callinf for the resignation of Mahathir over the Anwar affair. The Mahathir regime was arguably facing its most serious political crisis since coming into office in 1981. Afet several months a new deputy prime minister Abdullah Badawi, was appointed.