By Susan Loone
Malaysiakini
Feb 15, 2015

There was silence and sadness in the air as Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said between tears, “I never thought I would go through this ordeal again”.

Addressing more than 1,000 supporters in Seberang Jaya last night, Azizah said she has lost weight since her husband Anwar Ibrahim was sentenced to five years jail for sodomy on Tuesday.

The PKR president apologised for being rather emotional in her speech at the ‘Freedom of the People’ ceramah organised by the Penang government to honour Anwar, the Permatang Pauh MP.

“But here I am, tested again. Never mind, I am willing but this does not mean that I can accept it,” she said

Accompanying Azizah at the event were Pakatan top leaders including Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (left) and several state executive councillors.

PAS deputy chief Mohamed Sabu and Anwar’s eldest daughter, Pantai Dalam MP Nurul Izzah earlier spoke at the three hour event.

Azizah said she felt most sad when Malaysians do not realise that Anwar is not a criminal, but a political prisoner persecuted for his political beliefs and struggles. To her, Federal Court judges are supposed to be highly respected, but there appears to be no hope for justice when the five unanimously agreed to jail Anwar.

“Why can’t Malaysians see this fact? That there is no hope for justice or defence in Malaysian courts. This is what makes me sad,” she cried.

“I’m not saying this because he is my hubby or he is the Opposition leader or a former deputy prime minister but because (like all of us) he is a human being,” she said.

During her six-minute speech, Azizah thanked the Permatang Pauh people for standing by her family throughout all these years.

She said Permatang Pauh remains the place where Anwar’s struggles began and the seat has an “important” place in her heart.

She denied that she was on a roadshow to gain sympathy from the people, but merely wanted to share her family’s experiences.

“Let Anwar’s imprisonment raise awareness among Malaysians. We can pray, it is the least we can do to show we oppose such injustice.

“Please pass this message to those who are not here tonight and don’t stop supporting the struggle,” she added.

Anwar’s family is on the ‘March to Freedom’ campaign led by second daughter Nurul Nuha (right), who was not at the ceramah last night.

Last night, Azizah also launched the ‘Send a Postcard’ campaign to Anwar in Sungai Buloh.

Anwar is expected to lose his Permatang Pauh seat on Feb 24, unless he seeks a pardon from the Yang diPertuan Agong.

Anwar served the constituency since 1982 under the BN ticket, before he was sentenced for six years (1999 to 2004) for abuse of power related to his sodomy case.

During that time, Azizah held the seat as MP, resigning in 2008, to allow Anwar to return to active politics.

In the 2013 national polls, Anwar poised himself as Pakatan’s choice as prime minister and garnered 52 percent of the popular vote although the coalition failed to seize Putrajaya.