Anwar wants weekend pass
2003-05-09 09:44
Kuala Lumpur - Jailed Malaysian ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim on Friday sought a three-day prison pass to attend his eldest daughter's wedding over the weekend.
His lawyers made the request at the Court of Appeal, but Judge Pajan Singh Gill told him to approach the home ministry.
The prison department has already permitted Anwar to be taken home later on Friday to marry his 22-year-old daughter, Nurul Izzah, to engineer Raja Ahmad Sharir Iskandar, 26, in a Malay ceremony.
"I am relieved that I am able to attend my daughter's wedding ceremomy...she is my sweetheart," Anwar told reporters in court after hugging Nurul Izzah and his five other children.
But he said he hoped also to be with his family for wedding celebrations at the weekend.
His wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, said: "I am happy I am getting a son-in-law but it's a regret that her father is not released on bail."
"He has to give me away. I am happy that he can attend the wedding," Nurul Izzah added.
Earlier, defence counsel Christopher Fernando sought compassion from the court to give Anwar a three-day interim stay of sentence as he has to "perform some religious rites" as a father.
"This is a very special occasion...he is marrying off his first daughter, this is a big pride for him," the lawyer said.
"We have trusted him to run the country for 16 years. He is not a dangerous criminal."
In a rare show of support, Judge Pajan, who is leading a three-member panel, agreed he should have "the liberty to enjoy and be with his family" but said this was up to the home ministry to decide.
The UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Param Cumaraswamy, slammed the court for lacking "courage and independence to make decisions" and described it as a "total failure of justice."
He said it was a "judicial injustice" not to grant Anwar bail.
The bail application, pending Anwar's appeal to the highest Federal Court againt his sodomy conviction after losing his case in the appeal court last month, will be heard again on Monday.
His lawyers have argued that he should be allowed bail until all his appeals have been exhausted.
Anwar, sacked by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998, was sentenced to a total 15 years in jail for corruption and sodomy. He completed four years in prison on a corruption charge last month and is now serving a nine-year sodomy sentence.
Anwar, 56, says he was framed to prevent him from becoming a political threat to Mahathir, an allegation the government denies.
The trials have been widely criticised internationally, with the United States and human rights group Amnesty International listing Anwar as a political prisoner.