JAKARTA: Pakatan Harapan de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today held a meeting with former Indonesian president Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of Indonesia’s reformation.
Bacharuddin, affectionately known as BJ Habibie, is the third Indonesian president, from May 21, 1998, to Oct 20, 1999. He succeeded Soeharto.
The meeting, which took place at BJ Habibie’s residence in Jalan Patra Kuningan here started at 1pm local time.
Anwar in a statement said the visit was at the invitation of BJ Habibie in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of Indonesia’s reformation era.
“The year 1998 is a sacred year for Malaysia and Indonesia. May 21, 1998, is commemorated by the Indonesian people as the time when the old regime was toppled and the start of the transition of power, as well as the reinforcement of democratic institutions began during the administration of president BJ Habibie.
“September 2, 1998, is meanwhile, remembered by Malaysians as the beginning of the fall of the Barisan Nasional regime which finally concluded two decades later on May 9, 2018,” he said.
Anwar said the meeting with BJ Habibie would improve relations between the two countries and would strengthen Malaysia’s reformation agenda.
On May 16, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V granted Anwar a full pardon.
Anwar had been serving a five-year jail sentence from February 2015 following his conviction for sodomy. He was originally scheduled for release on June 8. – BERNAMA