Several groups today petitioned newly-installed Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V to pardon jailed Opposition de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim in time for the 14th general election.

They have also vowed to hold 'Bebaskan Anwar' (Free Anwar) roadshows across the nation.

“If Anwar can be pardoned then he can take part in elections immediately. That’s the hope.

“Otherwise, Anwar can only be released on June 10 next year and that’s too long,” Otai Reformis spokesperson Ronnie Liu told reporters outside Istana Negara this morning, after handing over a memorandum, together with Otai Reformis chairperson Saari Sungib and PKR Port Dickson assemblyperson M Ravi.

Otai Reformis is a group of political activists who were active in the 1998 Reformasi movement.

Liu said an officer representing the royal public relations department, Cik Hilmi Cik Musa, received the memorandum.

Saari hoped the Agong would declare Anwar as innocent not only for his second sodomy charge but also for his first, as this would enable Anwar to be able to contest in the next general election.

Section 42 (1) of the Federal Constitution allows the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to "grant pardons, reprieves and respites in respect of all offences which have been tried by court-martial and all offences committed in the Federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya”.

Anwar is currently ineligible to run for public office, because the Election Offences Act 1954 bars people who have been convicted within 5 years prior to the election nomination day from participating in the election.

Eighteen other groups signed the memorandum, while a crowd of more than 60 people attended its handover outside Istana Negara.

Anwar is currently serving a five-year jail term at the Sungai Buloh Prison over a second sodomy charge.

‘Bebaskan Anwar’ roadshows to be held

Saari, who is also Hulu Kelang assemblyperson, said that 'Bebaskan Anwar' roadshows would be held across the nation until he is released.

“We will have ceramah sessions, campaigns, petition-signings across the country... we will have roadshows from one place to another, even to an international level," he said.

He added that more NGOs will be roped in to help organise the roadshows.

Ravi said the roadshows were aimed at garnering support from grassroots Malaysians to call for Anwar’s release.

In the memorandum handed over to the Agong today, the signatories requested that Anwar be pardoned on the grounds that he was innocent and a victim of a political trial meant to “malign his name”.

It also listed Anwar’s contributions to the nation as a minister in the 1980s-1990s and highlighted his shoulder injury, which the memorandum claims has been worsening since he was jailed.

“Also, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has done thorough investigations and described the arrest and detention of Anwar as arbitrary….Malaysia needs to release him, that is the recommendation given by the group,” said Saari.

Last month, PAS mouthpiece Harakah criticised DAP, which Liu is a member of, for “opening doors to foreign intervention” when Liu sent a similar memorandum to the US Embassy on behalf of Otai Reformis, asking US authorities to continue pressing for Anwar’s release.