His release from prison is one of the election promises of Pakatan Harapan

By BERNAMA

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a free man after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V granted him a full pardon.

The Pardons Board met yesterday and decided on his case, according to a statement from Istana Negara.

The PKR de facto leader was serving a five-year jail term after being convicted of sodomy.

Sultan Muhammad granted Anwar, his wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as well as party deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali an audience at Istana Negara at noon.

Anwar was earlier discharged from the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital, where he was warded to recover from a recent surgery, and went straight to Istana Negara for the special audience with the Agong.

Travelling in a convoy of cars escorted by policemen on motorcycles, Anwar arrived at Istana Negara at 11.50am.

He had an audience for almost an hour with the Agong.

The release of Anwar is all the more meaningful as it comes on the eve of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan.

His release from prison was one of the election promises of Pakatan Harapan — of which, PKR is a component party — which became a reality just a week after the general election on May 9.

Malaysia was once again the focus of local and foreign journalists at the hospital and palace to follow the developments on the release of the one-time deputy prime minister and finance minister.

Crowds of people, mainly Anwar supporters, had gathered outside Istana Negara.

Anwar had been serving a fiveyear jail sentence from February 2015 following his conviction for sodomy. He was originally scheduled for release on June 8.

“Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), thank you Tuanku (Your Majesty),” Anwar was quoted as saying in a separate Bernama report following his audience with the Agong.

Anwar, 71, was released immediately following the full pardon that was decided by the Pardons Board.

He said with a smile that his intention is to return home and spend time with his family.

Anwar’s wife, as well as their daughter, Nurul Izzah, were with him.

Dr Wan Azizah said she is grateful for the release of her husband. “It was a most meaningful moment. I am grateful and relieved. It is a beginning to build the nation,” she said.