PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli is facing an 18-month jail sentence for breaching the Official Secrets Act (OSA) but PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is nothing but proud of him.

“I believe Rafizi will persevere in continuing the struggle. I am proud of his courage,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today.

Anwar had earlier testified as a witness in the trial of PKR lawmaker Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin who is facing a charge of participating in a ‘Black 505’ rally near a mosque in the post-2013 general election.

He, however, expressed disappointment over the verdict, saying that Rafizi had merely exercised his responsibility for the country and the rakyat by exposing misappropriation and corruption.

“I am disappointed with the use of laws to suppress the voice of the rakyat,” he added.

Apart from Rafizi, Anwar cited PKR lawmakers Batu MP Tian Chua, Padang Serai MP N Surendran and Subang MP R Sivarasa, pointing out how they were similarly pressured.

He believes that Malaysians are aware of this and will rise against it.

With more lawmakers facing jail sentences, the former opposition leader is of the opinion that this is a "strategy" by the authorities.

As such, he urged Malaysians to support the Bersih rally this Saturday to show they are against "oppression", electoral fraud and the rise in the price of goods and services.

“This is why Bersih is important. Support Bersih, oppose oppression,” he stressed.

The Bersih 5 rally in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu is to demand clean election, clean government, the right to dissent, the strengthening of parliament and empowerment of Sabah and Sarawak.

According to his charge sheet, Rafizi had page 98 of the auditor-general's report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) in his possession without authorisation, in breach of Section 8(1)(c)(iii) of the OSA.

He was also accused of disclosing the classified document without authorisation at the Parliament lobby on March 28, which is an offence under Section 8(1)(e)(iv) of the OSA.

Rafizi was sentenced to 18 months jail for both charges with both sentences to run concurrently.

He is appealing the sentence.