PKR still reviewing proposal for a royal pardon

Lawyers of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are still reviewing plans of proposing for a royal pardon as a way of securing the release of the Opposition leader from a five year prison sentence.

In stressing her husband’s innocence, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said that this move could however create an impression of guilt.

Thus she said that the lawyers are looking into the matter including its implications before a decision could be made.

“That is one of the choice... but we have to review it, as based on this pardon although there is a clause stating that he is innocent, but its connotation paints a picture of his guilt.

“This is something that we have to discuss and our lawyers will look further into it,” said Wan Azizah to the media on Saturday.

Wan Azizah also denied rumours that her second daughter, Nurul Nuha Anwar will contend for the Permatang Pauh by-election which would take place following Anwar’s imprisonment.

She however claimed that Nurul Nuha was only campaigning for her father’s release and denied that this was Nurul Nuha’s first step into politics.

Wan Azizah stressed that her husband remains the Permatang Pauh MP and discussions in regards to the Permatang Pauh by-election will only be held as soon as the Election Commission (EL) declares the seat vacant.

“We have not discussed it as Anwar is still the MP. Until the EC revokes his status as an MP, it is only then that this matter will be brought up,” she said.

Wan Azizah added that Nurul Nuha was currently only leading the humanitarian campaign and the family was only concentrating on ways of releasing Anwar.

The campaign was organised by a non-governmental organisation to protest the Federal Coourt’s decision of maintaining Anwar Ibrahim’s five year prison sentence.

Nurul Nuha 31, a housewife and graduate from the George Mason University in the United States was given and early task in the latest Anwar campaign which claimed that he is the victim of injustice.

Several political observers observed that Nurul Nuha is being proposed to continue the family’s legacy in Permatang Pauh.

On Tuesday, the federal Court had denied the fina plea by Datuk Seri Ibrahim on the charge of sodomising his former aid Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, almost seven years ago.

The decision was unanimously made by a five panel judge led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria who upheld the conviction and five year prison sentence.