PUTRAJAYA, Feb 10 — Over 1,000 supporters of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are marching to the rear of the Palace of Justice here in an attempt to see the opposition leader convicted of sodomy one last time before he is led off to prison.
But the march puts the group on a collision course with riot police that have cordoned off the area, which is already barricaded against entry.
The space behind the court complex is currently swarming with police officers as well as media personnel awaiting Anwar’s exit.
The Federal Court earlier upheld Anwar’s conviction by the Court of Appeal that had reversed his acquittal of sodomising former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhary Azlan and effectively ends the opposition leader’s legal options to challenge the conviction.
He now stands to lose his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat as the law bars anyone fined over RM2,000 or imprisoned more than one year from serving as a lawmaker.
There, they began chanting “Bebas, bebas Anwar! (Free, free Anwar!)” as well as slogans decrying the “cruelty” of the government.
Confusion is spreading through the crowds as there are conflicting calls being made, one for them to stay calm and another urging them to “rempuh! (storm!)” the barricades.
Anger is also beginning to build as the group was earlier told that Anwar would be allowed to speak to them before he is taken away. It is unclear, however, where this information came from.
For the moment, they are being asked to wait until the sentence is delivered to Anwar.
More to come
