Malaysia PM Anwar Ibrahim speaks out on sodomy trials: ‘clear travesty of justice’

‘I didn’t apply for a pardon because I was punished,’ Malaysia’s PM told parliament on Tuesday after opposition leaders had taken aim at his past
He said his sodomy trials were an injustice and had been recognised by Malaysia’s king as such, in response to remarks during Monday’s confidence vote

Malaysia

Bloomberg

Published: 4:01pm, 20 Dec 2022

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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was forced to revisit his sodomy convictions, after opposition leaders in the Muslim-majority nation took aim at his past during Monday’s confidence vote.

The sodomy trials were unjust and the king at the time, Sultan Muhammad V, had recognised this in 2018, Anwar told parliament on Tuesday. Anwar was eventually granted a royal pardon for his crimes.

“I didn’t apply for a pardon because I was punished. Make it clear on the record, in the Hansard,” Anwar said in his first parliament speech as prime minister. Instead, the monarch took the initiative to offer him the pardon because of a “clear travesty of justice”, he said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Wan Azizah Ismail arriving at Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP

An opposition politician’s attempt to interrupt Anwar was quickly rebuffed. “I know this statement is painful for you, because this is what you have played up,” said the prime minister, as backbenchers thumped their desks in support.

Anwar’s rivals had made several references to the convictions as they debated the leader’s confidence vote on Monday. One MP spoke of the “rape and sodomy of democracy”, while another read aloud what he said was a news article headline ‘First Full-blown Homosexual Elected Prime Minister in an Islamic Country’.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil later questioned the existence of such a news agency, called Itali Agenzia Nova.

Is sodomy accuser in Malaysia vote part of ‘character assassination’ plot against Anwar Ibrahim?

Anwar’s past has long been a sore spot for Malaysia’s majority Malay Muslims. While Anwar won Monday’s confidence vote easily, his rise to power last month capped a 24-year-wait that included multiple stints in prison.

Shortly after his 1998 sacking from the cabinet, Anwar was jailed for committing sodomy and abusing power, charges he denied. He was convicted in 2014 on a subsequent sodomy charge and jailed in 2015 when his appeal was denied. The royal pardon in 2018 allowed him to bypass a five-year ban on re-entering politics.

We oppose a judiciary that goes against the principles of justice

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar on Tuesday cited multiple discrepancies in his sodomy case, such as the accusation that the incident happened in a building he said had yet to exist at the time.

He also spoke of a person forced to become a witness, without going into details.

“We oppose a judiciary that goes against the principles of justice,” said the prime minister.

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