Jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim this afternoon stepped into his own home for the first time since he was arrested two years ago. But it was not a happy occasion. He had come home to attend the funeral of his mother, Che Yan Hamid Hussin, aged 75.

Che Yan passed away last night at the University Hospital in Kuala Lumpur after suffering a heart attack. Anwar was granted permission by the authorities to visit her yesterday evening and was at her bedside when she passed away.

At noon today, Anwar's family obtained permission from the Prisons Department to allow him to perform the last rites both at his home in Bukit Damansara and at the Kiara Muslim cemetery in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

A Kuala Lumpur Hospital ambulance sent Anwar to his house at 1.10pm. He was escorted by police and prison department officers. About 2,000 people had already gathered outside and around the house.

Tears

" Ya Ilahi! Ya Ilahi! " the crowd shouted loudly as the ambulance made its way to the front of the house. Some supporters, wanting to get a better view of the reformasi leader, climbed trees and gates.

It was only after half an hour that the ambulance managed to reach the porch of the house, but it was difficult for Anwar to alight as the crowd surged around the ambulance. Pandemonium and chaos reigned for a while with various orders being shouted from different quarters to the crowd to allow Anwar to get down.

Police finally managed to clear a path and 30 minutes after coming to a stop, Anwar, clad in a white baju Melayu and an orange-red sarong , alighted from the ambulance in a wheelchair.

With tears clearly visible in his eyes, he was supported into his house where prayers began.

Before the coffin was taken to the nearby Damansara mosque, Anwar thanked the crowd for coming to pay their last respects to his mother. He then left in the ambulance for the cemetery as his supporters chanted "reformasi!".

Among those who were present to pay their last respects were Keadilan leaders Tian Chua and Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, PAS president Fadzil Noor, PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali and PAS youth head Mahfuz Omar.

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