Former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's application to recuse justice Asmabi Mohamad from hearing his challenge of the Pardons Board order to reject his clemency will be heard on Sept 1.

 

This follows an application today by Anwar on grounds that Asmabi was the senior federal counsel who represented the government when Anwar challenged his dismissal as deputy prime minister in 1998.

 

Representing the de-facto PKR leader was N Surendran, Latheefa Koya and Shahid Adli Kamaruddin.

Anwar, his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail ( photo ), daughters Nurul Izzah and Nurul Nuha named the Pardons Board, the attorney general, and the government as respondents in the application.

 

Anwar cited that Asmabi had appeared in the 2007 case which the PKR de-facto leader had filed against the prime minister and the government.

 

He also cited on the danger of bias if Justice Asmabi was allowed to hear the application in his supporting affidavit to the application.

 

Initially, today was fixed for the hearing of leave (permission) to initiate the review of the board's decision.

The board was reported to have rejected Anwar's family's appeal for clemency, and this resulted in him serving a five year jail term for sodomy II.

The sentence was decided by the Federal Court on Feb 13 for sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.