Once also a victim of Dr M, Zahid says ex-PM now atoning for sins

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) together with PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim during Dr Mahathir Mohamad's era, said the former prime minister was now atoning for his sins.

He said this in response to Mahathir signing a petition at the 12th PKR Congress today, calling for Anwar to be released from Sungai Buloh prison.

"The petition by Mahathir for the government to free Anwar is a political move for him to atone for his sins.

"It is public knowledge that when he was in the seat of power... he had victimised Anwar," Zahid told journalists in Kuala Lumpur today.

Mahathir had in 1998 sacked Anwar as deputy prime minister and subsequently had him jailed on corruption and sodomy charges.

Zahid, who was at that time Umno Youth chief and a close ally of Anwar, was detained under the ISA after joining a protest against Mahathir.

He later denounced Anwar and returned to the establishment the following year.

After Mahathir retired in 2003 and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over as prime minister, Anwar's sodomy charge was dropped and he was released in 2004,.

Anwar was again jailed in 2015, this time under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, also on a sodomy charge, which Anwar maintained was politically motivated.

Zahid said the attorney-general will look into the petition but insisted that Anwar's jailing this time was in accordance to the law.

"But we also know that PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, on behalf of Anwar, had submitted a letter of appeal to the Pardons Board for Anwar to be pardoned.

"Perhaps that is the better way as it is the Pardons Board that decides whether someone to receive a pardon and the government.

"The government does not intend to interfere in the powers of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong and will leave it to the Pardons Board to make a decision," he said.- Mkini