A meeting most unlikely in Malaysia
May 31, 2018  13:25
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Before departing to Singapore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen off at the Malaysian airport by former PM Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Wan Azizah, who is the current Deputy PM. 

Modi is the first foreign leader Anwar has met after being released from prison. He was jailed for sodomy three years ago. 

Anwars release was the first big success of the newly elected governing coalition, Pakatan Harapan, led by 92-year-old Mahathir Mohamad, which was swept into power after a shock election victory.

Few in Malaysia have been persecuted for their political views and popularity like Anwar, a man with three prison sentences and 11 years in jail to his name. The pardon was filed on the basis of a miscarriage of justice, thus clearing his name entirely.

It was his first taste of freedom since 2015, following a prison sentence widely perceived as politically motivated; a manoeuvre by former prime minister Najib Razak to get rid of a feared political rival who had run against him and won the popular vote in the 2013 general election.

Photograph: MEAIndia/Twitter
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