PUTRAJAYA, 10 Feb: The grassroots of PKR closed ranks when the Federal Court maintained the charge and five-year jail sentence against the PKIR de facto Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Chief Minister, Mohamed Azmin Ali, also said that the decision by the panel of five judges today confirmed the public’s perception about the judiciary institution.
“This decision shocked everyone. However, I am confident that Malaysians are well aware if justice was given in sentencing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“However, this decision will not weaken the leadership spirit of Pakatan Rakyat and supporters. In fact, it will further strengthen our spirits to bring about change for the sake of goodness and well-being of the people and Malaysia, in general,” he said when met at the compound of the Federal Court after the verdict was read.
At the peak of the trial that lasted for seven years, the Chief Justice, Tun Arifin Zakaria; the Appeal Court President, Tan Sri Md Raus Shariff; judges Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Embong, Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar and Datuk Ramly Ali today rejected the appeal against the charges and jail sentence for the offence of sodomising Anwar’s former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, on June 26, 2008.
The charge makes this the second time Anwar is disqualified as a Member of Parliament after being found guilty on four charges of corruption and a four-year jail sentence by the High Court on April 14, 1999.
“It is a great loss for the party, and our country has thought Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to carry the torch of struggle and this struggle is not for individual interests, but for the people and Malaysia, in general,” said Azmin.
NS