The reaction on social media was swift to the news that the apex court had rejected Anwar’s application to review the trial decision from his Feb 10, 2015 appeal.
Twitter users Hairidin Samat (@hairidin), Ya (@_liyaarafi) and @mkabmr all conveyed their support to Anwar, telling him to be patient in serving his remaining jail term.
Another user, Mohd Fadzil (@fadzil13041) said although convicted, he believed the former deputy prime minister is still innocent.
Referring to the last remaining option for Anwar, Uwaiz Mukhlis (@uwaiz98) and Manja’s mummy (@camancher2012) had both suggested that Anwar should seek a pardon from the new Yang Dipertuan Agong (YDPA).
With the outcome in court today putting paid to Anwar’s chances of holding any public office or standing for election for years to come, there were still some users who were more optimistic.
In his tweet, @FaizalIshak77 said he was confident that the former Permatang Pauh MP can be out of jail before the next general election.
Meanwhile, Amanah’s strategy director Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad tweeted that the dismissal of the Sodomy 2 review would further strengthen the opposition’s desire to free Anwar.
“We must rise for the coming 14th general election (GE14),” he said on Twitter.
PKR’s Kelana Jaya MP Wong Chen said the party will continue to look out for other legal avenues.
In an immediate reaction, Anwar told reporters and supporters in the court to continue their prayers for him.
The Federal Court had earlier dismissed Anwar’s final attempt to review the decision by the same court on Feb 10, 2015, that had upheld an earlier conviction by the Court of Appeal, in March 2014.
The panel of judges, headed by Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin, made a unanimous decision that the review has no merits.
Anwar was found guilty on March 7, 2014 for sodomising his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan by the Court of Appeal, and was sentenced to five years jail. The conviction and sentence was upheld last year at the apex court.
This is Anwar’s second jail sentence. He was previously jailed for six years in 1999 for corruption charges and nine years for sodomy in 2000. However, his conviction for sodomy was later overturned in 2004.