Azmin Forgot Anwar’s 1999 Conviction

In short, the record of Anwar’s conviction remains despite the granting of the pardon. Furthermore, Azmin is talking about Anwar’s THIRD conviction. Anwar was first convicted in 1998 and he was never pardoned for that conviction. So, notwithstanding the pardon that Anwar received on the third conviction, Anwar is still an ex-convict on the earlier convictions.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

It is obvious the PKR and DAP people are panicking. Azmin Ali insists that Anwar Ibrahim was given a pardon so that means he is no longer an ex-convict. But the day that Anwar was pardoned Malaysia did not have an Attorney General. Hence the Pardons Board was not able to meet, which means Anwar’s pardon is illegal.

The power for His Majesty the Agong to grant Anwar a pardon is stipulated in Article 42 of the Federal Constitution. But Article 42 of the Federal Constitutional has to be read with Sections 300 and 301 of the CPC. And the pardon Anwar received under Article 42 and Section 300 of the CPC does not mean that upon securing a pardon the record of any conviction is erased or deleted.

In short, the record of Anwar’s conviction remains despite the granting of the pardon. Furthermore, Azmin is talking about Anwar’s THIRD conviction. Anwar was first convicted in 1998 and he was never pardoned for that conviction. So, notwithstanding the pardon that Anwar received on the third conviction, Anwar is still an ex-convict on the earlier convictions.

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(Bernama) – PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan’s statement questioning if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is fit to be prime minister since he is a former convict has been described as irresponsible by PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Azmin said what Takiyuddin had stated was also unfair because the PKR president had received a royal pardon.

He said the people were aware that the charge against Anwar was politically motivated and that he was eventually given a full pardon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“We may have different political views but we must stick to the facts, and the fact is that this crisis was well resolved in the interest of the nation,” he said at a breaking-of-fast ceremony organised by the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) here today.

Speaking at a Sandakan by-election campaign last Wednesday, Takiyuddin questioned whether the people wanted a former convict like Anwar as prime minister.

Meanwhile, Azmin reminded PAS to resolve its internal problems without associating them with other parties, including the recent issue of its “dedak cartel”.

“I’m not a PAS member. I am not involved with what is happening in PAS. I think it is their internal problem and they need to resolve it.

“I saw the statement from Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS president) that he did not give his blessings, so if the father does not give his blessings to the child I don’t understand. They need to settle (the matter) their way,” he said.

The media had reported that Abdul Hadi’s son-in-law, Zaharudin Muhammad, a former member of the PAS Syura Ulama Council, had revealed that there was a “dedak cartel” within the party.

He was believed to be referring to groups in PAS who allegedly received funds from certain parties.