The Penang government's event Anwar Ibrahim fixed for tomorrow night will go on, despite the passing of PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

 

The former Kelantan Menteri Besar and Chempaka assemblyman died in his residence in Pulau Melaka last night, leaving behind his wife and ten children.

 

State executive councillor Abdul Malik Kassim ( right ) said the event, titled Freedom of the People ( Kebebasan Rakyat ), will be held in Seberang Jaya at 9pm.

 

"The freedom demanded by the people is similar to Anwar's demand for freedom.

 

"The event has been planned earlier and the speakers have all confirmed their attendance," Malik, who is PKR state election director, said in a press conference today.

 

The event at the Tapak Expo will feature Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, PAS deputy chief Mohamad Sabu, and PKR state chief Mansor Othman.

 

Malik said Anwar's daughter Nurul Nuha will not be speaking tomorrow.

 

Nurul Nuha is leading the March for Freedom campaign and also rumoured to be the Permatang Pauh candidate.

 

Anwar, who remains a Permatang Pauh MP until Feb 24, has 14 days to seek a pardon from the King, after which the Election Commission will declare the seat vacant, paving the way for a by-election.

 

The Opposition leader is serving a five-year jail sentence at the Sungai Buloh prison after the Federal Court upheld the sodomy conviction and jail  sentence on Tuesday.

 

Political implication of seeking pardon

 

Asked if Anwar would seek a pardon from the King, Malik declined to state his personal opinion.

 

"Everyone knows there will be political implications and Anwar has been advised about the matter.

 

"But Anwar has always maintained his innocence – that the charges against him is a fabrication and a political conspiracy to put him behind bars so that BN can once again take Malaysians for a ride," he added.

 

Malik said Anwar believed in the judiciary and submitted himself for to be tried by the courts.

However, Malik said he witnessed personally how the judges turned from being ‘objective’ when the High Court cleared Anwar of sodomy charges in 2010, but later the Court of Appeal's decision overturned the decision, and the ruling was upheld by the Federal Court.

 

Prime Minister Najib Razak has maintained that the courts are independent and that he is not out to topple Anwar via a political conspiracy.

 

To Najib, Malik said "You can imprison Anwar's body but never his spirit or his movement".

 

"I do not know if Najib has calculated it thoroughly but I feel this is the beginning of his downfall," quipped the Batu Maung assemblyman.