THE United States has welcomed the release and full pardon of Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.

“We are glad that he has been reunited with his family,” the US State Department said in a statement, adding that Anwar’s conviction in 2015 and subsequent detention had raised “serious concerns” about the rule of law in Malaysia.

“We look forward to working with the new Malaysian government to further strengthen the US-Malaysia comprehensive partnership,” the statement said.

Anwar was released late morning yesterday and received a full pardon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by afternoon.

He was welcomed by tens of thousands of supporters at Padang Timur, Petaling Jaya later in the evening, where he reiterated his support for Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s leadership.

He also backed the appointments of fellow Pakatan Harapan component leaders to top cabinet posts, including DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as finance minister.

Anwar was jailed the second time in 2015 for sodomising a political aide. The former deputy prime minister has maintained that the charge was politically motivated. – May 17, 2018.