Search This Blog

Monday, March 28, 2016

Anwar-Pardons Board matter put off to April 4

KUALA LUMPUR - The hearing of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s bid for sodomy pardon has been put off to April 4 by the High Court. The former opposition leader is applying for leave to challenge the Pardons Board’s refusal to allow his petition to be pardoned from the 2008 conviction.

Lawyer Latheefa Koya who advised Anwar in his legal bid, said judge Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin had allowed the adjournment as the applicant had yet to receive copies of submission by former Attorney-General (AG) Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

Gani was co-respondent with the Board and the federal government in Anwar’s legal bid to be pardoned. Anwar had chosen to represent himself.

The entire courtroom was converted into chambers today, where only Anwar, daughters Nurul Izzah and Nurul Nuha among other related parties were allowed in the court.

His supporters waited outside. Senior federal counsel Suzana Atan acted for the Board, the former AG, and the federal government.

On Feb 10 last year, the Federal Court upheld Anwar's conviction and five-year-jail term for sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 31, in 2008.

On June 24 last year, Anwar and his family members - wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Nurul Izzah and Nurul Nuha - filed the legal challenge against the Board's dismissal of the pardons petition earlier on March 16.

Anwar, who is currently serving five years’ jail sentence in Sungai Buloh Prison, claimed the Board's decision was tainted by the presence of the then AG, during its meeting which rejected the petition.

The former Permatang Pauh member of parliament accused Gani of having long-standing bias against him.

Anwar claimed the Board’s decision was not properly communicated to him and his family, as it was done through a court affidavit produced by the AG's Chambers on March 27 last year.

Anwar also alleged that the Board's decision violated his constitutional rights, adding that it contravened natural justice.

Aside from seeking to quash the Board's decision, Anwar is applying for a court order to compel it to re-convene a meeting to reconsider his petition and advise the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong appropriately.

Anwar also seeks an alternative remedy of a court order, to compel the Board advising the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to grant the pardon.

No comments:

Post a Comment