Anwar's application to attend parliamentary session subject to pardon board's decision

The status of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's application to attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting will only be known after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong makes a decision on the pardon petition filed by the opposition leader's family.

Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he had received a letter from Anwar's lawyer S. Sivarasa on the matter and referred it to the Attorney-General and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.

"As is known, it is subject to legal interpretation but what's more important is that the Pardons Board has not met so of course our decision is also delayed," he said after receiving a courtesy call from Singapore High Commissioner to Malaysia Vanu Gopala Menon, here Monday.

He was responding to reporters when asked about the status of Anwar's application, who is also the MP for Permatang Pauh, to attend the Parliamentary session which begins on March 9.

Ahmad Zahid said the Home Ministry which oversees prison affairs could only make a decision on the position of a member of Parliament in accordance with the legal interpretation.

On Feb 24, Anwar's wife, Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and two of their children, Nurul Izzah and Nurul Nuha, filed a petition for pardon to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah.

On Feb 10, the Federal Court rejected Anwar's final appeal and retained his jail sentence for sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, in 2008.