Nurul Nuha heads "March 2 Freedom" campaign to free Anwar

The "March 2 Freedom" campaign is not about introducing Nurul Nuha Anwar as a political candidate. Nor is it about rebranding the 'Reformasi' movement.

It is about a family's struggle in trying to free a loved one whom they believe had been unjustly incarcerated.

And they want to make the struggle fitting for all Malaysians – giving voice to those who believe they have suffered injustices in this country.

These were the aspirations related by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's daughter, Nurul Izzah.

"The campaign will allow us an avenue to continue our fight, recollect our past efforts and focus on making them work for the future.

"It's also important for us to remind the rakyat on everything that had transpired in the past," she said.

As for Nurul Nuha, Anwar's second daughter and the face of the "March 2 Freedom" campaign, she said her father has always portrayed to them true grit, perseverance, courage, integrity, compassion and love.

"He is what it means to stand up against all odds. These core values will remain with us. As his children, we will take over his mantle and continue his struggle, hopes and ambition.

"March 2 Freedom is that struggle. We call everyone to join us in our effort – let the injustices end," said the 31-year-old mother-of-two.

Nurul Nuha, who was only 12 when Anwar was first charged with sodomy in 1998, said the last 17 years have been an emotional roller-coaster for the family.

"Yesterday was a long and testing day... one where we hoped justice would prevail. But the outcome left us devastated and outraged. Seventeen years of relentless pressure, harassment and persecution culminated in yet another prison term.

"We do not know how long this struggle will continue but we will be with our father till the end," she said at the launch of the campaign at their family home in Segambut Dalam here today.

Yesterday, Anwar had failed in his final appeal in his second sodomy case against Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 30, when the Federal Court ruled that the High Court had not erred in its decision to convict the Opposition Leader of the crime and sentence him to five years in prison in March last year.

Following the verdict, Anwar, who is also Permatang Pauh MP, had said that he would never surrender, maintaining that the case was fabricated as a political conspiracy to topple him.