Anwar's Deepavali note from Sungai Buloh prison

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has released a Deepavali note from Sungai Buloh prison.

In the message released through his party, Anwar likened the message of Deepavali, the triumph of good over evil, to the struggle against the government.

"This carries a deep meaning for all of us; we are governed by a political coalition that has utterly lost all moral authority.

"The people face the consequences of the BN’s failures and indifference; rising living and fuel costs, burdensome taxes such as the goods and services tax, and economic stagnation," he said in the statement.

Anwar's constant stream messages from prison had previously raised the ire of the Prisons Department.

Journalists have also taken the opportunity to ambush Anwar to ask questions, as he is regularly taken to court to attend several ongoing court proceedings, including defamation cases.

This had led the Prisons Department to place him under strict guard.

The Prisons Department had previously also denied that Anwar had issued a statement about the fracas at the Nothing to Hide 2 forum in August.

However, Anwar's lawyers confirmed the statement did come from the PKR leader, but did not reveal how he was able to get the message out.

Anwar is serving a five-year prison term for alleged sodomy, a charge he claimed is politically motivated.

With good behaviour, he is expected to be released from prison by the middle of next year.- Mkini