Saiful claims Anwar’s family sought help, Nuha denies

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s family today insisted they have never contacted his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan to request that he seek a royal pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Saiful, 31, in a Facebook post today claimed that a person close to Anwar and on behalf of the family, had requested for him to seek a royal pardon for the former opposition leader without having to change his plea on the sodomy charges.

Rubbishing this, one of Anwar’s daughters, Nurul Nuha Anwar, said this was “nothing but slander”.

“Oh, this is another slander. Our family has never contacted Saiful,” she told Malaysiakini.

Saiful in his Facebook post had also claimed that the individual asked him to forgive Anwar who “has possibly repented over his actions”.

“(His friend also admitted that) it sounds strange for me to seek a royal pardon on behalf of Anwar but I have locus standi since I was the one who accused him (of sodomy).

“His friend said that in Islamic law, the victim or a family member can forgive the accused so that the sentenced is reduced or the accused gets released,” Saiful said.

He, however, said that he had yet to make a decision on the matter as he was unsure of the sincerity behind the request, or whether it was only so that Anwar could contest in the next general election.

Anwar is currently serving a five-year jail term in Sungai Buloh prison after the Federal Court on Feb 10, 2015 upheld his conviction and sentence imposed by the Court of Appeal on March 7, 2014.

Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal allowed Anwar’s appeal to refer one question of law regarding his challenge on the justiciability of the Pardons Board's decision to the Federal Court.

The Court of Appeal ruled that Anwar would be able to pose his question of law to the Federal Court regarding his challenge on whether the Pardons Board's decision could be questioned.- Mkini