The new prime minister also pledges to recover billions of dollars lost in the 1MDB corruption scandal
The newly-elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said the country’s monarch is willing to grant a full pardon to the jailed politician Anwar Ibrahim – beginning the process by which he could shortly succeed him.
The announcement came a day after the 92-year-old was sworn in after a shock win that toppled a long-ruling coalition mired in a $3.2bn corruption scandal.
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“The (king) has indicated he is willing to pardon Anwar immediately,” Mahathir told a news conference in Petaling Jaya.
“We will begin the … proper process of obtaining a pardon. This means a full pardon. He should be released immediately when he is pardoned.”
Anwar and Mahathir, former allies and then implacable foes, joined forces to contest this week’s election and oust the administration of Najib Razak. Anwar is in custody on charges of sodomy and corruption and cannot take any office until he is pardoned and released.
Mahathir has said he will step aside and hand over the prime minister’s post to Anwar once he is pardoned.
The prime minister also his first news conference after being sworn in to reassure the financial community and said he would prioritise stabilising the economy and return billions of dollars lost in a corruption scandal at the state sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
The scandal became a major factor in the election and in the defeat of Najib, Mahathir’s predecessor and former protege.
Despite the opposition gaining a historic win in the election, gaining a simple majority for the first time in 61 years, hours of uncertainty followed the result, with questions over whether Mahathir, a former prime minister who this year switched to the opposition party, would be allowed to return to power.
Najib had resisted conceding on Thursday and allegedly offering opposition candidates $6m to switch sides.
With Mahathir now in power, Najib may also be facing the prospect of being investigated and prosecuted for his role in the 1MDB scandal, where $681m allegedly ending up his personal bank account and funded a multi-million dollar jewellery spree for his wife.
As prime minister Najib cleared himself of any wrongdoing, but Mahathir has repeatedly stated his belief that Najib was involved and pledged to see justice done.
Speaking on Thursday, he did not rule out prosecuting Najib. “I am not seeing revenge, we don’t want to punish people but the rule rule of law will be clearly implemented,” he said. “If Najib has done something wrong, then he will have to pay the price.”
