King approves Royal Pardon meet on Anwar
Monday, 14 May 201811:40 PM MYT
by victoria brown
PETALING JAYA: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V has given the green light to proceed with the Royal Pardon meeting for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic), but was requested to postpone it to Wednesday (May 16) by the Prime Minister's Office.
"The Yang di-Pertuan is pleased and satisfied with all procedures relating to the proceedings by the Pardons Board for Datuk Seri Anwar that was fixed for tomorrow, May 15, at 11am," said the Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Wan Ahmad Dahlan in a statement on Monday.
However, Wan Ahmad said that the Prime Minister's Office requested that the meeting be postponed to Wednesday at 11am.
"The Yang di-Pertuan Agong wishes that this matter be finalised on May 16, ahead of Ramadan," said Wan Ahmad.
Meanwhile, Anwar's lawyer R. Sivarasa also confirmed the postponement in a separate statement.
"I have confirmed with Datin Paduka Zauyah Be Loth Khan, Solicitor-General II, who will represent the Attorney-General at the meeting, that all documentation for the pardon petition is in order and complete," he said in a statement on Monday.
"The petition is submitted by family members and is based on the ground that the conviction of DSAI is a miscarriage of justice, and secondly, on his current health situation," said Sivarasa.
He said that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had spoken to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed on the matter.
"The Prime Minister has given his assurance that the meeting of the Pardons Board will proceed as scheduled at 11am Wednesday," said Sivarasa.
Bernama had earlier reported that Anwar's daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, who is PKR vice-president, said that the Pardons Board committee would meet on Tuesday (May 15) to discuss his Royal Pardon.
In 2015, Anwar, who is PKR de facto leader, was sentenced to five years' jail after the Federal Court upheld his guilty verdict for sodomy.
Last Friday (May 11), Dr Mahathir said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had expressed his willingness to grant a full and immediate pardon to Anwar.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/05/14/agong-approves-royal-pardon-meeting-on-anwar-pmo-asks-for-postponement/#xiETBK9m7J4SpWtt.99
