Malaysia's Anwar declares 'new dawn' after jail release
Jailed former opposition leader and current federal opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim greets supporters after his release from the Cheras Hospital Rehabilitation in Kuala Lumpur on May 16, 2018. The release of Anwar from prison marks yet another sharp turn in a roller-coaster political life that has left a profound mark on Malaysian politics and society. Anwar was pardoned and released on May 16 after serving three years for a sodomy conviction widely considered a railroad job and now quashed following the stunning defeat of a Malaysian regime that had ruled for six decades.
MOHD RASFAN / AFP
What you need to know:
Previously, the charismatic Anwar headed various ministries under Mahathir's tutelage in the 1990s, earning praise as a reformer. He eventually became deputy prime minister and Mahathir's presumed successor.
