Crowd forces open locked UM gate, marches in with Anwar

The group of students forcibly shook, pushed and prodded the gates until the chain and lock securing it broke open before they walked into the dark campus towards Dewan Tunku Chacellor, to hear Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s speech.

Anwar arrived later with his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar to deliver his speech in the “40 years: from UM to prison", organised by the elected student body, the UM Undergraduates Association (PMUM).

Anwar, who donned a black shirt, delivered his speech in darkness as UM had closed its doors beginning 4pm today, citing electricity electrical repair works.

During his speech, Anwar said he still has high hopes on the country’s judiciary system.

“I still have high hopes on the highest court of law , and I should be released,” he said to a cheering crowd.

The Federal Court is set to hear Anwar’s final appeal against his sodomy conviction tomorrow and on Wednesday.

On March 7, the Court of Appeal overturned his sodomy acquittal by the High Court two years earlier.

The appellate court found Anwar guilty of sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, at a unit at the Desa Damansara condominium in Bukit Damansara between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

Anwar was sentenced to five years’ jail but was granted a stay, pending an appeal to the Federal Court.‎