Malaysia's king has agreed to pardon Anwar Ibrahim, a politician whose case has gripped national politics for two decades.
Country's new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad made the announcement at a news conference on Friday, a day after his historic election win.
Mahathir said the king "has indicated he is willing to pardon Datuk Seri Anwar immediately", using an honorific title.
"It is going to be a full pardon which of course means that he should not only be pardoned, he should be released immediately when he is pardoned," Mahathir said.
"After that he will be free to participate fully in politics," he added, reports BBC.
Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah, said the king wanted to grant the pardon as soon as possible and "if the director of prisons is satisfied... then [Anwar] may be released in two to three days".
Anwar Ibrahim, once considered a potential future leader, was jailed on charges of corruption and sodomy after falling out with the government.
But Mr Mahathir, the PM under which he was first jailed, just won an election on a pledge of freeing him.
He has indicated he will hand power to Anwar within a few years.
