Anwar Ibrahim walks free after three years in prison
Anwar Ibrahim walks out of his hospital prison room a free man after setting aside 20 years of enmity with Mahathir Mohamad.
Anwar Ibrahim walked from his prison hospital a free man at 11.30am (1.30pm AEST) today into a Malaysia transformed by the stunning electoral victory he helped orchestrate alongside his once-sworn political foe, Mahathir Mohamad.
The 70-year-old democracy champion looked jubilant as he emerged from Kuala Lumpur’s Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital smiling, waving and giving a thumbs-up to crowds of media and well wishers.
Mr Anwar was to have addressed waiting media but was quickly bundled into a black SUV alongside his wife, deputy Prime minister-designate Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, amid increasingly chaotic scenes and a frantic media scrum.
He will instead hold a press conference later today and then address a public rally in a Kuala Lumpur park around 11pm local time.
Police and security struggled to hold back screaming crowds as Mr Anwar, dressed sharply in a slate-blue suit and burgundy tie, was driven out of the hospital where he has been recuperating from shoulder surgery in recent months.
His first appointment as a free man was with King Muhammad V who granted his formal pardon this morning, three years after the one-time deputy prime minister under Mahathir Mohamad between 1993 and 1998 was jailed on a second politically-motivated sodomy charge.
He also attended a working lunch with new Prime Minsiter Mahathir Mohamad and the leaders of their victorious Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) coalition.
The first conviction and jail sentence was under Dr Mahathir in 1998 after the two men fell out over how to handle the Asian Financial Crisis.
“The appeal for a full pardon for PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim was presented and considered by the 51st Pardons Board meeting,” a statement issued by the Palace shortly after his released said yesterday.
20 years of struggle with Mahathir
Anwar Ibrahim
- 1998:
- Sacked as deputy prime minister following a row with former PM Mahathir Mohamad. Hit with sodomy and corruption charges
- 1999 to 2004
- In jail for corruption and sodomy
- 2008
- Leads opposition victory in general election in March. Charged with new sodomy allegations in August
- 2015
- After 2012 acquittal is overturned in appeals court, he is convicted again and jailed
- 2018
- PJP joins forces with Mahathir, wins general election
“In line with article 42 of the federal constitution the king, on the advice of the Pardons Board, concerns to grant a full pardon and immediate freedom to Anwar Ibrahim effective from the date of the Pardons Board meeting.”
Mr Anwar has led Malaysia’s reformasi movement for the past two decades — some eight of those from prison.
His expected re-entry into Malaysian public life comes as the country is undergoing a major political transformation following last Wednesday’s shock electoral defeat of a government that has ruled the country for 61 years.
Mr Anwar’s People’s Justice Party is now part of Malaysia’s new ruling coalition government, led by the 92-year-old Dr Mahathir, the country’s fourth and longest serving prime minister who was sworn in as its seventh last Thursday.
The two men set aside 20 years of enmity earlier this year to join forces in an extraordinary political union to unseat now-ousted prime minister Najib Razak who Dr Mahathir said yesterday could soon face charges in connection with the 1MDB global financial scandal.
Underpinning that reunion was a pact: Dr Mahathir, who turns 93 in July, would seek a royal pardon in the event of their victory and eventually hand over the Prime Ministership to Mr Anwar.
While many Anwar loyalists will be eager to see that transition happen soon, Dr Mahathir said yesterday it could be one to two years before it takes place.
Mr Anwar too has said he is in no rush to take over the reins and is happy to allow Dr Mahathir to first set the country’s economy back on course and resolve a number of high profile corruption scandals, including 1MDB.
His wife, Wan Azizah, is expected to eventually step aside from her post and resign from her Kuala Lumpur seat she holds to allow Mr Anwar to contest a by-election there.
He must be an MP in order to qualify to become the country’s Prime Minister.
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