If granted, every sodomite, rapist will ask for pardon too

An Umno leader says Anwar Ibrahim should serve his prison sentence in line with his “Never Surrender” slogan instead of seeking a royal pardon.

KUALA LUMPUR: An Umno Supreme Council member, Puad Zarkashi, has claimed in remarks carried by Malaysiakini that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s “Lawan Tetap Lawan” (Never Surrender) slogan was just for show as seen by his bid for a pardon from the Agong for his conviction and five-year jail sentence on a sodomy charge.

“This is only five years. ‘Lawan Tetap Lawan’ is just for show,” said Puad Zarkashi in implying that Anwar should serve his sentence in line with his oft-repeated slogan.

Also, he added, Anwar has tainted the judiciary by seeking a pardon from the Agong.

Arguing that a “sodomite” seeking a royal pardon would set a bad precedent, especially if he is indeed pardoned, Puad added, “After this, every rapist and sodomite will also apply for a pardon.”

Anwar however has continued to maintain that he is innocent of the charges. The Bar Council, in an initial reaction, said that Anwar had been convicted for a victimless offence and implied that there was no law on this.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) President Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her second daughter, Nurul Nuha Anwar, submitted the Petition for a Pardon on Tuesday at Istana Negara.

Nurul Nuha confirmed, in a statement, that the Petition for Pardon had been submitted to Istana Negara for the Agong’s attention.

The family appears to have put together, the grounds for Anwar’s pardon and this could have taken some time. The family, she stressed, would continue to pursue and exhaust all available legal means to free Anwar.

Anwar’s eldest daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar, the Lembah Pantai MP, was reported in the media as confirming that the family was seeking the Pardon from the Agong, on Anwar’s behalf, and that there was a precedent for this.

She cited the case of DAP’s father-and-son team Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng who submitted a similar petition when they were in prison. She was speaking from Parliament where she submitted the letter on the petition on the pardon to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia.

In the absence of a petition, Anwar can be barred from being a federal lawmaker 14 days from February 10, based on Article 48 Clause 4 (a) of the Federal Constitution.

A petition for pardon would delay or prevent Anwar’s disqualification as Permatang Pauh MP.