Tears flow as Anwar’s daughters launch ‘March to Freedom’

Nurul Nuha Anwar, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's second oldest daughter, says ‘March to Freedom’ is a a campaign to secure her father’s freedom. – The Malaysian Insider pic, February 11, 2015.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's‎ children today launched a campaign called "March to Freedom” to secure their father's freedom after the Federal Court upheld his sodomy conviction yesterday and sentenced him to five years’ jail.

Fighting back tears, Nurul Nuha Anwar, the opposition leader's second oldest daughter, told a press conference in Segambut that a secretariat would be formed to manage the campaign.

"We‎ have seen injustice in the judicial system not only in Anwar's case, but in other cases involving Lim Guan Eng and Irene Fernandez," said Nurul Nuha, referring to the DAP secretary-general and the late human rights activist, respectively.

"We must raise the public's awareness. This is the time for Malaysia to rise."

Nurul Nuha, who will lead the campaign, said "March to Freedom" would also reach out to Malaysians abroad and raise their awareness on the injustice perpetuated in Malaysia.

She said the campaign abroad would be led by PAS MP Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, as a symbol of solidarity towards Anwar.

Nurul Nuha added that her family was finding it difficult to come to terms with her father's imprisonment.

"We couldn't sleep last night, thinking is he comfortable over there? How many cockroaches were there in prison?

"But this will not weaken our resolve. Just like before, we will meet and think about what needs to be done," she said, her voice choking with emotion as her elder sister, Nurul Izzah, consoled her.

Nurul Ilham, Anwar's fourth child, recalled her father's message before he was sent away to prison.

She said he had urged her to remain strong, to not be sad and to not reveal her weaknesses.

"(He said) 'This is not how we show our emotions. Be brave and do not show your weakness. Do not show them we can be beaten because we have not lost"," said Nurul Ilham, her eyes wet with tears.

Nurul Nuha said her concern for her father was borne out of past experience, as attempts on his life had been made when he was incarcerated previously.

"In the past he was poisoned with arsenic in the Sungai Buloh prison. We were forced to send his urine sample to Australia because the Sungai Buloh prison denied he had been poisoned," said Nurul Nuha.

"But once it reached Australia, they confirmed (our fears) and sent it to HUKM (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital)."

Nurul Izzah recalled how her father was beaten by the then-inspector general of police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor.

"We put our trust in them on the night of September 20, 1999. My mother and I sought assurance from the deputy IGP, but the IGP hit Anwar while he was handcuffed and blindfolded.

"How would you feel? Would you feel confident? We are not making wild allegations, we only want assurance so that we feel more confident," said Nurul Izzah.

The Federal Court yesterday found Anwar guilty of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan in a condominium unit at Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, on June 26, 2008.

Anwar was handed a five-year jail term.

In the summary of his judgment, Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria found that claims of political conspiracy by the defence team remained an unsubstantiated allegation.

He also agreed with the High Court and Court of Appeal that Saiful was a credible witness.

Several Countries, including the US, the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada and Australia, have expressed concerns about the Federal Court’s verdict.

They said that Anwar’s case raises questions about the independence and fairness of Malaysia’s judiciary, and the country’s rule of law.

The High Commission of Canada said it was also concerned about selective prosecution under the Sedition Act in the country.

- TMI