THE prime minister and his deputy’s visit to Kuala Lumpur Hospital to see opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is based on compassion, said Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The deputy prime minister said his and Najib Razak’s decision to see Anwar, who is recuperating after undergoing surgery on his shoulder last week, was not politically motivated.

This followed Twitter users, including Former Bar Council president and human rights activist Ambiga Sreenevasan, expressing scepticism earlier today over Najib’s visit, which took place yesterday.

“I never planned to visit Anwar, but I felt compelled to do so after Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, visited him,” said Zahid at 1M4U Sentral in Puchong tonight.

“We set aside politics and acted on compassion. This was also evident when Najib and I went to Penang when it was hit by floods recently.”

The deputy prime minister’s Twitter account, DPM Office Malaysia, posted a photo of Zahid and his wife, Hamidah Khamis, with Anwar, who was in a hospital bed, around 4.30pm today.

Zahid said the PKR de facto leader was a generous man, and that Anwar’s family took his and Najib’s visit well.

“Anwar was generous in accepting Najib and Rosmah as visitors yesterday, and today, he accorded the same to me and my wife.

“I know from his body language that he took our visit well.”

On Anwar’s family’s request that he be allowed to remain in hospital “for as long as needed”, Zahid, who is also home minister, said he would discuss the matter with the Prisons Department, which is under his ministry, and the Health Ministry to ensure Anwar received the best treatment.

He did not say whether the opposition leader would receive post-operative care in hospital or prison.

Anwar, who is serving a five-year sentence for a second sodomy charge, underwent the surgery following a severe injury sustained in an accident that occurred when he was travelling in a Prisons Department vehicle. – November 18, 2017.