Isnin, 2 Mac 2015

Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar Ibrahim


Himpunan ‘Kita Lawan’ 7 Mac tembusi global

Posted: 01 Mar 2015 09:33 PM PST

Malaysiakini

Selain di Kuala Lumpur, himpunan solidariti terhadap pemenjaraan Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berhubung kes liwat pada 7 Mac ini, juga akan diadakan di beberapa buah negara.

Sekretariat #KitaLawan mengalu-alukan keprihatinan dan inisiatif rakyat Malaysia khususnya anak muda yang berada di luar negara, menganjur perhimpunan itu, sekurang-kurangnya di enam negara pada waktu tempatan.

Antara lokasi perhimpunan itu ialah Old Palace Yard, London – berdekatan dengan bangunan Parlimen United Kingdom; di depan Bangunan Parlimen Australia, di Canberra, di depan Parlimen South Australia, di Adelaide dan di Liberty Square di Taipei, Taiwan.

Perhimpunan di Old Palace dan Liberty Square masing-masing berlangsung pada jam 11 pagi dan 7 malam waktu tempatan.

Manakala di Canberra dan Adelaide berlangsung serentak jam 4 petang waktu tempatan.

“Mereka bersolidariti demi menyatakan bantahan terhadap pemenjaraan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai tahanan politik serta menarik perhatian masyarakat antarabangsa mengenai (dakwaan) ketidakadilan, kezaliman, rasuah dan salah guna kuasa oleh pemerintah di Malaysia,” kata sekretariat itu dalam satu kenyataan.

Sekretariat itu juga memaklumkan perhimpunan itu bakal diadakan di beberapa bandar di Amerika Syarikat termasuk di New York; Jepun, New Zealand dan negara Eropah yang akan dimaklumkan melalui laman sosial facebok rasmi mereka kelak.

Pembentukan gabungan yang dinamakan “Kita Lawan” dibuat sebagai reaksi terhadap pemenjaraan Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Pada 14 Februari lalu, seramai 400 orang berhimpun di depan pusat membeli belah Sogo dan berjalan hingga ke Pudu Raya bagi menyatakan sokongan kepada Anwar yang juga ketua umum PKR.

Bagaimanapun, Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar memberi amaran supaya rakyat tidak mengadakan sebarang demonstrasi, namun gabungan itu tidak mengendahkannya.

Ekoran itu aktivis siswa Adam Adli, Penyelaras Jingga 13 Faris Musa dan Ketua AMK Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad ditahan di bawah Seksyen 143, Kanun Keseksaan Akta Himpunan Aman 2012.

Malaysia’s dark side

Posted: 01 Mar 2015 09:33 PM PST

The Economist

The jailing of Anwar Ibrahim is a setback for the whole country, not just the opposition

AFTER taking an inexplicable four months to make up its mind, Malaysia's highest court on February 10th came up with the verdict its critics said had been scripted for it all along. It rejected an appeal by Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition leader, against his conviction on a charge of sodomy—of having sex in 2008 with a young man who had worked for him. It upheld the five-year jail sentence imposed last March. Since a prison term also entails a five-year ban after release from running for political office, this would rule Mr Anwar out of the next two general elections. And since he is 67, it might mark the end of his political career.

The three-party coalition he heads, Pakatan Rakyat, poses the most serious threat the United Malays National Organisation, UMNO, has faced in its nearly six decades of continuous rule. But the opposition depends heavily on Mr Anwar's leadership, so his sentence sounds like good news for the prime minister, Najib Razak. Celebration, however, would be short-sighted.

Having Mr Anwar out of the way certainly offers political benefits to the government. In the general election in 2013, when he led the Pakatan campaign, it won more of the popular vote than the UMNO-dominated coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), though, thanks to gerrymandered constituencies, it won only 40% of parliamentary seats. Yet Pakatan is an unlikely and fractious coalition. One of its members is a conservative Islamist party, appealing to the ethnic-Malay, Muslim majority; another represents mainly the ethnic-Chinese minority; Mr Anwar himself heads a multiracial, secular party. An important factor in keeping these elements together has been Mr Anwar himself.

A former deputy prime minister, he fell out with his mentor, Mahathir Mohamad, during the Asian financial crisis in 1998, and emerged as the leading advocate of reformasi—fundamental reform of an ossified, corrupt political system. He is by far the opposition's best-known and most charismatic figure, despite—indeed, in part because of—his six years in jail for alleged corruption and on an earlier charge of sodomy (later overturned).

His latest conviction, however, is a mixed blessing for the government. It insists the judiciary is independent, and points out that, in this case, the charges were brought by the alleged sexual partner. But conspiracy theorists—a category including virtually every observer of Malaysian politics—will interpret Mr Anwar's legal travails as politically motivated. After the verdict, he spoke to the judges: "In bowing to the dictates of your political masters, you have become partners in the murder of the judiciary…You chose to remain on the dark side." They walked out, but Mr Anwar's supporters at home will think he did no more than state the obvious. Even abroad, where Malaysia is often praised as a model of Muslim-majority democratic moderation, many will be suspicious. Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch (HRW), a monitoring group, called the verdict a "travesty of justice".

Critics point to many curious aspects of the case. According to research cited by HRW, the law under which Mr Anwar has been convicted has been invoked only seven times since 1938. Mr Anwar was acquitted of this charge in 2012 because DNA evidence had been mishandled, only for the government's prosecutor to appeal against the decision. So, unfairly or not, the case has harmed the image of Malaysia's judiciary, and, to the extent that he is seen as implicated in its decisions, of Mr Najib himself.

Already his reputation as a liberal and moderate has been dented by his government's use of another archaic and draconian law, on sedition, to hound its critics. They include a political cartoonist known as Zunar who was arrested this week, apparently for a tweet critical of the verdict on Mr Anwar. Having promised to repeal the sedition law, Mr Najib in November said it would actually be strengthened. That was seen as a concession to conservatives within UMNO. They present a far greater immediate threat to Mr Najib than does the opposition, especially since they have the support of Dr Mahathir. He vacated the prime minister's office in 2003 and is now 89, but remains a powerful political force. He has turned against Mr Najib, as he did against his predecessor, Abdullah Badawi—and indeed Mr Anwar before that.

With Mr Anwar behind bars, UMNO hardliners will have less reason to worry about the opposition, and can concentrate their fire on Mr Najib's leadership. They have been handed a weapon in the troubles surrounding 1MDB, a sovereign-wealth fund, whose board of advisers Mr Najib chairs. It is behind on debt repayments and accused of a woeful lack of transparency. This week a group of Malaysian banks was reported to have threatened it with being called into default if payment is not made this month. Politicians from both the opposition and UMNO have called for investigations into 1MBD. Its troubles might even have an impact on Malaysia's standing as a sovereign borrower. Last month Fitch, a ratings agency, called it a "source of uncertainty".

Chameleon karma

Under attack from his own right flank, Mr Najib has little room to make good his promises of political liberalisation. Even economic reforms—where he has a respectable record of, for example, widening the tax base and cutting fuel subsidies—may stall. The most difficult ones require the ending of Malaysia's rules mandating commercial discrimination in favour of the Malay majority, a system to which many in UMNO are wedded.

So the BN, whose ethnic-Chinese and ethnic-Indian components fared disastrously in 2013, risks becoming a mere shell for an UMNO ever more beholden to Malay-nationalist forces, thus further sharpening a dangerous racial polarisation in Malaysian politics. Mr Anwar, a political chameleon whose real beliefs are sometimes hard to pin down, has many critics, but he could at least credibly lead a coalition that bridges Malaysia's ethnic divides. That is why his incarceration is a dark day not just for Malaysia's opposition, but for Mr Najib and the country itself.

Anwar gets visit from a pair of lions at Sg Buloh

Posted: 01 Mar 2015 09:23 PM PST

Malaysiakini

Inside the Sungai Buloh prison, Anwar Ibrahim remains jailed for the 19th day, but little does he know that the atmosphere beyond his prison bars last night was one of noise and merriment.

A pair of lions pranced around at the entrance of the prison, dancing merrily away to the drum beat of a Chinese New Year song.

Sounds from the huge loudspeaker tied to a long pole erected outside the prison added to the season’s cheer.

Several prison guards stood in the dark inside the prison compound, beyond the iron gates and barbed wire, watching the entire show.

A supporter who wanted only to be known as Hafizan remarked, “The real lion is inside (the prison). He is the one with the lion heart. These two lions are here just to say, we are with you, Anwar!”

Another supporter, Dineswari, who came all the way from Johor to see for herself what the nightly vigils for Anwar was like remarked, “It is surreal.”

“I am overwhelmed by the support Anwar continues to have although it has been more than two weeks he is in prison here.”

In spite of the smaller crowd, the vigil cum Chinese New Year event organised by PKR Shah Alam and Wangsa Maju divisions saw candles continued to be lit, oranges distributed to all, shouts of "reformasi" filled the air, Muslim supporters prayed to Allah for Anwar’s well-being and freedom, alongside their Buddhist, Hindu and Christian friends, and the night ended with a "Lawan Tetap Lawan" number from the NGO Jingga 13.

'Can dad hear all this?'

Anwar’s eldest daughter and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah told the crowd, “I don’t know if dad could hear all this.”

“You have to go through 13 iron gates before you can go to the lock-up which holds my dad,” she said as the crowd appeared shock to hear this.

“There is a CCTV recording, installed three months before his jail sentence on Feb 10, to record his movement 24 hours, seven days a week!” she claimed.

However, these incidents have only fueled the courage and resolve of her entire family to fight the injustice and cruelty inflicted upon Anwar, she said.

She related that her siblings were in several places to speak about Anwar and the current political scenario in Malaysia – her only brother Mohd Ihsan is speaking in New York, sister Nurul Nuha is on a two-day visit to Penang with her two young kids in tow. while her two younger sisters Nurul Ilham and Nurul Iman were in Malacca.

Nurul Izzah herself has just returned from a speaking tour in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

“We want to go to all the programmes we’ve been invited to attend, to shock and awe people about what is happening to the country, and about Anwar’s condition as a prisoner of conscience.

“We’re not doing this just because we love our dad. If it is only about loving our dad, we would be out of this country with him.

"But we are here so that when he is free, we can continue his struggle for reforms, to fight against injustice and cruelty, ” she told the crowd.

'Persecuted since age 29'

“It’s not been an easy journey as we continue to be attacked and slandered by our enemies,” she lamented, recalling how the authorities have persecuted her father since he was 29 for defending the plight of farmers in Baling in 1974.

Anwar was jailed four other times since then, with the latest being on Feb 10 when the Federal Court upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision to jail him for five years for sodomy.

“But the difference now is my brother Ihsan, who is a lecturer in New York, will help spread the message of reformasi,” Nurul Izzah said.

Ihsan has traditionally shied away from the limelight during all these years preferring to stay and work in the United States while refusing to be politically active, unlike his MP sister, who since her early 20s was in the forefront of the campaign to release Anwar from his jail sentence from 1999 to 2004 for abuse of power related to his first sodomy charge.

“Recently, Ihsan was asked by Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin to join PKR but he said no; instead he vowed to be a reformist forever and ever,” she added to loud cheer from the crowd.

Tan's daughter shows solidarity

Anwar remains parliamentary opposition leader and Permatang Pauh MP until the agong decides on a royal petition submitted by the family led by Anwar’s wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on Feb 24 to seek for his pardon and release.

During the vigil, Nurul Izzah was joined by Tan Su Mei (left, with microphone), daughter of Wangsa Maju MP Tan Kwee Keong, who strongly condemned Anwar’s imprisonment and pledged support for him and his family.

She said her father could not attend the vigil as he had just undergone a minor brain surgery at the Tropicana Medical Centre.

“Both my dad and Anwar are of the same age, they were born in 1947 and have passed the official retirement age of civil servants.

“They – Anwar is locked away in a hotel here in Sungai Buloh, while my father has 'two holes' in his head as a result of his brain surgery but they are still fighting for the cause.

“Both of them could have done something better if they wanted, for example, many of their friends are taking care of their grandchildren, travelling the world or taking it easy,” she added.

“But Anwar and my dad are in the Justice Party (PKR), fighting for justice although I do not know if what they are doing to themselves represents justice at all,” she stressed.

“People who have sacrificed so much for the country should not be in prison for their good intentions,” she said, ending her brief speech with shouts of reformasi.

Meanwhile, Kota Anggerik assemblyman Yaakob Sapari (left, in blue) urged the people to support the reprint of his booklet 'Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim Yang Saya Kenali' (The Anwar Ibrahim I Know).

The 11-page booklet includes the story of Anwar’s political struggle as a student activist in the 1970s, his incarceration under the Internal Security Act to his rise to the second highest government post in 1982 and his fall from grace when he was sacked from his deputy prime minister’s post in 1998.

“Whether it is RM10, RM100 or RM1,000, please support this effort to tell the public who is Anwar Ibrahim, especially to the youths who may not have had access to enough information about him,” he said.

Lawyers move to discuss Shafee’s conduct after Anwar’s sodomy trial

Posted: 01 Mar 2015 09:15 PM PST

TMI

Two senior members of the Malaysian Bar have urged the Bar Council to take action against lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for his conduct after the sodomy conviction of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Lawyer Tommy Thomas and retired Court of Appeal judge Tan Sr V.C. George said that from the time the Federal Court convicted Anwar on February 10, Shafee, has behaved in a repugnant and obnoxious manner which has brought the legal profession into disrepute.

In a motion submitted to the Bar Council ahead of its annual general meeting (AGM) on March 14, the two senior lawyers also urged the incoming council for the 2015-2016 term to lodge a report against Shafee with the Disciplinary Board.

They also said that steps must be taken to further prevent Shafee from bringing the legal profession into disrepute.

This motion will be debated at the AGM and if approved, the incoming council must act on it.

Shafee, who was appointed by Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to prosecute the Sodomy II appeal before the Federal Court, was accused of wilfully, and with impunity:

  • holding press conferences condemning Anwar who cannot respond as a convicted prisoner serving time;
  • drawing attention to his prowess, allegedly as a top rate prosecutor;
  • demeaning Anwar and his legal team, and the defence that were relied upon them in court proceedings;
  • giving interviews with the traditional and online media on his performance as prosecutor; and
  • organising and participating in nationwide roadshows, with a political party, with the purpose of insulting a convicted prisoner and for bringing attention to his role in the conviction.

Shafee is no stranger to action by the Bar Council as previously, he was found guilty for misconduct and fined RM5,000 for advertising himself. His appeal to the High Court was rejected and is now pending in the Court of Appeal.

He had also come under fire from Universiti Malaya’s law professor Gurdial Singh Nijhar, who felt the senior lawyer may have committed contempt for revealing intimate details of the in-camera evidence at the first roadshow in Petaling Jaya, Selangor where Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, who is also Youth and Sports Minister, was present.

Shafee then held another talk at Anwar’s parliamentary constituency of Permatang Pauh, where the media was prevented from covering the function.

The two senior lawyers said such extreme and outrageous conduct, unprecedented in the annals of common law, cannot be allowed to continue and must receive strong condemnation from his peers.

They also noted thay that former Attorney-General Tun Abu Talib Othman was also quoted as saying that Shafee was advertising and promoting himself in the media, and urged Gani to revoke his appointment.

Shafee was also alleged to have violated the Legal Profession (Publicity) Rules 2001, Rule 5(1)(a)(ii), which prohibits lawyers from publicising themselves or their practice in any manner, “that may reasonably be regarded as being…  in bad taste… sensational, intrusive, offensive or in any other way belittling the dignity of the legal profession”.

They also noted that while Shafee is supported by forces of the state, he is not above the law.

Diampunkan atau tidak, Anwar tetap tidak bersalah, kata pengundi

Posted: 01 Mar 2015 09:14 PM PST

TMI

Sama ada petisyen untuk pengampunan diraja dikemukakan atau tidak, dan sama ada ia akan diberikan atau tidak, bagi kebanyakan pengundi Permatang Pauh, ahli Parlimen mereka Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tetap tidak bersalah.

Mereka juga merasakan, petisyen yang diserahkan kepada Istana Negara pada Selasa lalu, bukan masalah dan tidak akan mengubah pandangan mereka sama ada ia mengandungi maksud tersirat yang Anwar bersalah.

Penyokong tegar beliau mungkin berpandangan demikian kerana kesetiaan mereka kepadanya, tetapi bagi orang ramai, persepsinya ialah sama ada beliau bersalah atau tidak, musuh politik Anwar memang hendak mengenakannya.

Ada juga yang berkata, rakyat sudah mula bosan dengan politik untuk menyingkirkannya sebagai satu ancaman kepada Barisan Nasional (BN).

Pengundi Ishak Chik, 56, berpendapat, mereka yang mengatakan Anwar bersalah adalah musuhnya yang tidak mahu beliau terlibat lagi dalam politik.

“Masa dia jatuh dari kerajaan pada 1998 orang dah tuduh dia. Mengapa dia nak buat lagi dan mengundang risiko menyusahkan dirinya lagi? Saya tidak percaya. Tak masuk akal bagi saya.

“Anwar keluar masuk mahkamah sepanjang 16 tahun yang lalu. Siapa lagi dalam negara ini yang hidup sebegitu?

“Kita perlu tanya diri kita sendiri. Kita mesti fikir sedalam-dalamnya, mengapa ini terjadi,” katanya kepada The Malaysian Insider pada Rabu di pasar Sama Gagah di Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang.

Pesara itu berkata petisyen yang dikemukakan tidak semestinya bermakna Anwar bersalah, kerana bukan pemimpin pembangkang itu sendiri yang meminta pengampunan.

Ia dikemukakan ahli keluarganya, diketuai isterinya Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, pada saat akhir pada 24 Februari, hari terakhir untuk berbuat demikian.

“Ia bukan pengakuan bersalah. Kenapa dia nak minta pengampunan diraja kalau dia tak bersalah? Isteri dan anak-anaknya yang menghantar petisyen itu kepada Agong untuk menyelamatkan dia.

“Adakah kamu tidak akan cuba melakukan apa yang terdaya bagi menyelamatkan ayah kamu yang dalam kesusahan?” soal Ishak.

Walaupun petisyen itu bermakna Anwar akan terus kekal di kerusi Parlimen Permatang Pauh sehingga Agong membuat keputusan mengenai permohonan pengampunan itu, Ishak percaya pilihan raya kecil tetap akan diadakan.

Katanya, dia pesimis mengenai peluang Anwar mendapat pengampunan, memetik satu laporan berita yang Yang di-Pertuan Agong perlu bertindak atas nasihat Lembaga Pengampunan.

Lembaga itu terdiri daripada perdana menteri, peguam negara dan tidak lebih daripada 3 anggota lain.

“Saya rasa inilah sebabnya mengapa Anwar tidak pernah cakap beliau nak minta pengampunan diraja. Apa gunanya?

“Pilihan raya kecil tetap akan berlaku. Cuma tak tahu bila saja. Kita tunggulah, BN pasti akan kalah lagi,” kata Ishak.

Seorang lagi pesara Hamid Salleh, 65, dari Permatang Pasir berkata, peluang Anwar mendapatkan pengampunan diraja mungkin tipis.

“Lima hakim persekutuan itu sebulat suara mendapatinya bersalah… semua, lima-lima mereka. Adakah peluangnya lebih baik dengan Lembaga Pengampunan?” katanya.

Bercakap kepada The Malaysian Insider di sebuah kedai kopi di Penanti, Hamid berkata tidak kira apa yang diputuskan mahkamah, rakyat Permatang Pauh masih percaya kepada wakil rakyat mereka dan mereka yakin beliau tidak lakukan kesalahan seperti yang disabitkan.

“Semua ini politik, tak lebih dari itu. Rakyat tak percaya dia buat perkara itu. Mereka marah dan kecewa apabila sabitannya dikekalkan oleh Mahkamah Persekutuan,” katanya.

Hamid berkata orang ramai mungkin tidak lagi bercakap mengenai Anwar tetapi sokongan mereka kepada ketua pembangkang itu masih kukuh.

Beliau berkata, dengan apa yang berlaku kepada bekas timbalan perdana menteri itu baru-baru ini, sokongan rakyat mungkin lebih kuat kali ini, sekiranya pilihan raya kecil diadakan bagi memilih ahli Parlimen baru.

“Ini merupakan pilihan raya kecil ketiga diadakan kerana Anwar, tetapi tidak kira berapa kali ia diadakan, BN tetap tidak akan menang. Orang Permatang Pauh tahu, semua ini politik, satu perkara yang pelik di negara ini.

“Di tempat lain, sebaik selesai pilihan raya, ahli politik buat kerja mereka mentadbir kerajaan dan membangunkan negara. Mereka teruskan kehidupan. Politik Malaysia ini pelik,” katanya.

Di kawasan yang mungkin merupakan kawasan Parlimen paling hangat di negara ini, sambutan rakyat terhadap keputusan mahkamah memenjarakan Anwar hanya suam-suam kuku.

Tiada laungan “reformasi” seperti pada 1998 apabila beliau dipecat daripada kerajaan dan dituduh rasuah dan liwat. Keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan 10 Februari lalu yang mengekalkan sabitan Liwat II terhadapnya tidak langsung menjadi topik perbualan rakyat di kedai kopi dan restoran.

Ahli perniagaan TW Tan, 49, berkata, pengundi tidak lagi ghairah bercerita tentangnya kerana mereka kini hilang minat terhadap “politik kotor” dan isu Anwar kini dianggap “membosankan”.

Pandangannya juga mencerminkan keutamaan rakyat yang lebih memberi tumpuan kepada mencari rezeki untuk meneruskan kehidupan mereka.

“Ini ‘Take Two’ (kali kedua), orang sudah tidak berminat seperti masa 1998. Kalau Pakatan Rakyat (PR) mengambil alih kerajaan persekutuan pada pilihan raya umum akan datang dan membebaskan Anwar daripada penjara, itu jadi ‘Take Three’.

“Rakyat dah jadi tidak ada perasaan. Isu Anwar sudah tidak begitu panas lagi selepas berlarutan lebih 16 tahun.

“Lebih baik untuk jaga perniagaan kita dan mata pencarian kita. Berniaga sekarang merupakan satu cabaran,” katanya yang ditemui di kedainya di bandar kecil Penanti.

Tan berkata orang ramai lebih mengambil berat tentang realiti hari ini, seperti isu ekonomi, kejatuhan nilai ringgit, Cukai Barangan dan Perkhidmatan (GST) dan hal lain yang sering dibangkitkan PR yang membuat mereka mengkritik kerajaan pemerintah.

Seorang peniaga pasar di Sama Gagah, yang hanya mahu dikenali sebagai Pak Lang Mat, berkata tiada salahnya keluarga Anwar membuat permohonan pengampunan, kerana sudah tentu mereka tidak boleh sekadar bersabar tanpa berbuat apa-apa.

“Sekarang, kita juga ada isu dengan sistem kehakiman (kerana sabitan kes liwat Anwar). Negara lain pun turut bercakap tentang Malaysia. Kita juga dengar ada institusi yang digunakan oleh mereka yang berkuasa.

“Jadi, kalau negara asing pun bersuara, kita tak perlu berbuat apa-apa apabila kita percaya ada sesuatu yang tidak kena? Bukan satu masalah bagi keluarga Anwar mendapatkan pengampunan diraja untuknya,” katanya sambil menambah yang beliau juga tidak percaya Anwar bersalah sebagaimana yang dituduh.

Anwar, yang juga ketua umum PKR, kini di Penjara Sungai Buloh selepas beliau gagal dalam rayuannya membatalkan sabitan liwat dan hukuman lima tahun penjara di Mahkamah Persekutuan pada 10 Februari.

Kerusi Parlimen beliau sepatutnya diisytiharkan kosong selepas 24 Februari, 14 hari selepas dia kalah kes rayuannya, sekiranya tiada permohonan dibuat bagi mendapatkan pengampunan diraja.

Sebelum ini, peguamnya berkata, Anwar tidak memberi mereka sebarang arahan untuk mengemukakan permohonan pengampunan diraja.

Ada yang mengatakan sekiranya beliau berbuat demikian, ia akan menyusahkan kembali dirinya daripada segi politik, kerana ia boleh dianggap membawa maksud tersirat yang beliau bersalah dan ini hanya menguntungkan musuh politiknya.

Anak perempuan sulungnya Nurul Izzah yang juga naib presiden PKR, menjelaskan tindakan keluarga meminta pengampunan diraja dibuat atas dasar sabitan Anwar tidak mematuhi prinsip keadilan.

Menurut daftar pemilih Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya, sehingga November tahun lepas, kawasan Parlimen Permatang Pauh mempunyai 72,513 pengundi berdaftar dengan 51,032 Melayu (70.37%), 16,583 Cina (22.86%), 4,581 kaum India (6.3%) dan 317 lain-lain (0.43% ).

Dalam pilihan raya umum 2013, Anwar memenangi kerusi itu dengan memperoleh 37,090 atau 58.56% daripada 63,332 jumlah undi, dengan majoriti 11,721.

Calon BN Dr Mazlan Ismail memperoleh 25,369 atau 40.06% daripada jumlah undi manakala calon bebas Dr Abdullah Zawawi Samsudin hanya mendapat 201 undi (0.32%) dan hilang wang deposit.

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