PUTRAJAYA: As he welcomed the Turkish President to the country, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took a moment to express his gratitude to an old friend for extending support to him during an extremely difficult time for him and his family.
In the midst of his welcome address, Anwar softened his tone when he reminisced about his past with Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“It would be remiss of me not to speak of my own friendship with Erdogan and Emine, a friendship built not on convenience but on steadfast solidarity.
“During times of personal and long periods of adversity, brother Erdogan and sister Emine extended a hand to me, Wan Azizah and my family when many turned away,” a clearly touched Anwar said.
Anwar was referring to Erdogan’s wife, Emine Erdogan, and his own wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The Turkish leader is on a two-day visit to Malaysia, accompanied by Emine.
The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation to Erdogan for giving his support that was “not done casually or for political expediency” during a difficult time.
“No, it was an expression of genuine fraternity.
“Wan Azizah and I have never forgotten it, and we, the people of Malaysia, never will too,” he said to thunderous applause from the audience in the hall.
In 2008, Anwar sought refuge at the Turkish Embassy due to safety concerns following sodomy accusations levelled against him.
In 2015, the then-opposition leader was jailed for five years after he was accused of sodomy, a charge he had vehemently denied and described as politically motivated.
In 2018, Anwar was granted a full royal pardon.
Meanwhile, he said Erdogan’s visit to Malaysia reaffirmed the strong partnership between both nations.
