Reformist icon Anwar Ibrahim set free

Kuala Lumpur: Reformist icon Anwar Ibrahim celebrated a “new dawn” for Malaysia after he was given a royal pardon and freed from custody today, transforming a political prisoner into a prime minister-in-waiting following his alliance's stunning election victory.

Anwar, 70, was convicted of sodomy in 2015 in a case he said was aimed at crushing his alliance, which was making gains against Malaysia's long ruling coalition government. His sentence was set to end June 8 but last week's unexpected election win, which ended the National Front's 60-year rule, led to his swift release.

“Now there is a new dawn for Malaysia,” he told a news conference at his house. Anwar said he was grateful to Malaysians “regardless of race and religion, who stood by the principles of democracy and freedom.” The election result was a demand for change and it's the new government's responsibility to ensure that mandate is honored, he said.

Earlier, Anwar was thronged by scores of supporters and reporters after he walked free from a hospital, where he was recovering from shoulder surgery, and whisked away to an audience with Malaysia's king. The royal palace said in a statement that the monarch had given Anwar a full pardon following advice from the Pardons Board.