Anwar’s disqualification as Permatang Pauh MP announced in Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR: The disqualification of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) as Permatang Pauh MP has been formally announced in the Dewan Rakyat. 

This comes after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong rejected a petition by Anwar’s family for a royal pardon over his sodomy conviction. 

"The petition decided on March 16 stipulated that the five-year prison sentence for Anwar must be resumed," said Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said on Thursday. 

"Therefore, the Permatang Pauh MP has been disqualified as an elected representative with immediate effect from March 16 as soon as the petition was decided on (by the Pardons Board)," he added. 

The Permatang Pauh seat fell vacant following the decision of the Pardons Board, which is headed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. 

In a statement on Wednesday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said he had submitted a notice of the disqualification to the Election Commission (EC) in line with Article 54 of the Federal Constitution. 

On Feb 24, Anwar’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and their two children Nurul Izzah and Nurul Nuha submitted the petition for a royal pardon for the sentence imposed on the Opposition Leader, who was found guilty of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan in 2008. 

The EC will meet next Wednesday to decide on the by-election in Permatang Pauh.

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