Zahid: Govt respects court's decision to release Anwar

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the risk assessment recommended that countries should actively target the small sub-set of NPOs most vulnerable to terrorism financing

SHAH ALAM: The Government will respect the decision of the court to release former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 

At a press conference on Saturday (Jan 6), Anwar's wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said her husband will be released from prison on June 11. 

The Deputy Prime Minister, however, said that is the expected date, but if the "big day" happens earlier, it will be a bit later before Anwar could hold any important post in the country. 

It is believed that Dr Ahmad Zahid was referring to the upcoming general election.

"The Government abides by the sentence set by the court. The length of a prison sentence has to be respected by all parties," he told reporters after flagging off participants for the Antarctica Charity Run 2018 at Karangkraf here Sunday. 

Anwar is currently serving a five-year jail term for sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 32, at Desa Damansara condominium in Bukit Damansara on June 26, 2008.

When asked about a woman being a candidate for prime minister, Dr Ahmad Zahid said anyone could be up for the post regardless of gender.

"The Constitution states that any leader from a political party with the majority support will be the head of Government." 

He was asked to comment on Dr Wan Azizah saying that Pakatan Harapan is willing to name a woman prime ministerial candidate at the Women's convention on Saturday. 

Earlier, Dr Ahmad Zahid flagged off 2,300 participants for the run organised by All Women Expedition To Antarctica (Aweta). 

The charity run is aimed at collecting funds to support the expedition of five Aweta protégés who will be going for an expedition to Antarctica slated for December.