Royal pardon for jailed opposition leader Anwar denied

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader and Permatang Pauh MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's application for a judicial review to allow him to attend the current Dewan Rakyat session was dismissed as the Pardons Board had rejected an application seeking a royal pardon on his five-year jail sentence for sodomy.
The application for leave for judicial review was dismissed by High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad in chambers today.
The application was dismissed with RM3,000 costs.
"We have submitted that on March 16, 2015, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the Pardon's Board meeting had rejected the application for pardon by the applicant," Senior Federal Counsel Amarjeet Singh told reporters later.
He said Anwar's disqualification as an MP takes effect under Article 48 (4) (c ) of the Federal Constitution.
"The applicant is disqualified as an MP and as such, there is no basis for leave application to proceed," said Amarjeet.
Anwar's lawyer, Latheefa Koya, said they will be filing an appeal against the High Court's decision at the Court of Appeal.
On March 18, 2015, Anwar had filed for judicial review to quash the decision of Commissioner-General of the Prisons Department for refusing to permit him to attend the sitting of the Dewan Rakyat, through a letter.
Anwar had filed an application for leave for judicial review against the Home Minister and the Commissioner-General.
In a letter dated March 4, 2015, the commissioner-general refused to permit him to attend the sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.
"The Attorney-General (Chambers) had served an affidavit, which contains a letter from the secretariat member of the Pardons Board claiming that the petition has been disposed of against Anwar Ibrahim," said Latheefa.
"As far as we are concerned, no such decision by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has been conveyed to our client, Anwar or the petitioner, which is Anwar's family," said Latheefa.
Anwar's wife, Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and two of their children, Nurul Izzah Anwar and Nurul Nuha Anwar, filed the petition for pardon to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah.