Malaysia Notes

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has a sense of déjà vu over her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's arrest.

Anwar was arrested in 1998 on charges of abuse of power, corruption – and sodomy. This time, he has again been arrested over an allegation of sodomy,

“It is a feeling of déjà vu. Of course, now my children are big and I am in Parliament now. But I feel it should not have happened this way,” she told reporters yesterday outside the KL police headquarters after meeting Anwar.

“I have a fear. Although they guarantee his safety, it was the same thing they said before, but it didn’t happen.”

She also expressed regret over the way police handled Anwar’s arrest yesterday.

“It now has political connotations,” she said.

The Permatang Pauh MP was with her daughters, Nurul Izzah and Nurul Nuha, son-in-law Raja Ahmad Shahrir Iskandar Raja Salim and Anwar’s lawyer, Sankara Nair.

She had arrived at the police headquarters at about 1.30pm.

The PKR president also said her husband told her and Malaysians to remain calm.

“He is doing well, so far,” she said.

“I regret the way he was detained. After all, he had given his assurance that he would be here. He will act within his legal rights.”

Dr Wan Azizah said she was at Parliament when one of their lawyers informed her of Anwar’s arrest.

Nurul Izzah, PKR's Lembah Pantai MP, said her father was ready to give his statement.

“My sisters and I had already agreed to accompany our father and to be here by 2pm. How am I supposed to feel safe?”

She arrived with her husband Raja Ahmad at about 1.55pm and handed over her marriage card for a visitor’s pass to enter the building as she had left her MyKad in Parliament.

Nurul Izzah said her father was arrested by Special Action Unit commandos, as in 1998.