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TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad has expressed gratitude to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) for issuing a clarification on the royal pardon granted to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 2018, which he said absolves him of allegations that the process was mishandled.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the former Prime Minister said the AGC’s detailed timeline and explanation regarding the Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting vindicated him from earlier criticisms—similar to past accusations in cases such as Pulau Batu Puteh.
“Since Anwar’s pardon was announced in May 2018, several legal practitioners, including those who dislike me and those close to me, have questioned the process,” said Dr Mahathir.
He recalled that a lawyer had filed a suit challenging the validity of Anwar’s pardon shortly after Mahathir resigned as Prime Minister in February 2020. Anwar’s initial attempt to strike out the lawsuit was dismissed by the High Court, but later allowed by the Court of Appeal on the basis that the plaintiff lacked locus standi.
“The Federal Court subsequently dismissed the plaintiff’s appeal, concluding the matter was academic and that the pardon had been granted in accordance with the constitution,” Mahathir noted.
On Tuesday, the AGC publicly refuted Mahathir’s earlier claim that Anwar’s pardon was unconstitutional. It affirmed that the 51st meeting of the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya had been held at 11.00am on Wednesday, 16 May 2018, at Istana Negara.
Mahathir added that despite the matter being settled legally, the issue resurfaced following the controversy surrounding an alleged addendum in the royal decree related to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s bid for house arrest as part of his sentence reduction.
“Najib’s supporters questioned why the royal decree in his case was not honoured, whereas Anwar was granted an extraordinary full pardon almost immediately after the change of government,” Mahathir said.
He added that once again, legal voices began scrutinising the 2018 pardon, linking it to Anwar’s current bid to claim immunity from a civil suit filed by his former aide over alleged sexual misconduct.
“Critics argue that Anwar’s request for immunity contradicts the principle of justice in our country, which holds that no one is above the law,” said Mahathir.
He added that some have drawn parallels between Anwar’s current legal arguments and the “special privilege” he allegedly received during the royal pardon process.
“The AGC must recognise that all these legal controversies involving Anwar are interconnected. If left unaddressed, they will fester and further erode public trust in Malaysia’s justice system,” Mahathir warned. - June 4, 2025