Prime-Minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim claims that a diet of rotten fish and black tea during his stints in prison, from 1999 to 2004, and from 2015 to 2018, were good for his health.

Diet kept him slim

According to The Star, the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) elaborated that the diet kept him slim and free of diabetes.

He added that he had been served rotten fish "all the time", while the tea was served without milk and sugar.

The statement had been delivered by the politician at a keynote address in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 16, at a conference on human capital.

Read "thousands of books" as well

Additionally, he also spent a lot of time reading.

Anwar said,"And I read thousands of books. I spent time reading, while at the same time had very little food. And I remained healthy."

As such, he saw his experience in a positive light.

However, Anwar also highlighted that he endured inhumane and degrading conditions during his imprisonment.

He added,"Over three-and-a-half years (during his second conviction), beef was served only twice."

He further joked to reporters, "Try staying in prison for a while."

Background to Anwar's jail terms

In 1999, Anwar was sentenced to prison a year after he been sacked from his position as deputy premier by Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, during his first tenure, Malaysiakini reported.

At that time, Anwar had been charged with sodomy and abuse of power, charges which he maintained were fabricated against him by Mahathir and his accomplices.

The government denied these allegations.

He was released in 2004, and was subsequently accused in 2008 of sodomising his aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan in 2008.

The Guardian reported that he was initially acquitted in 2012 by the Malaysian High Court, but the acquittal was subsequently overturned in 2014 by the Appeals Court, which resulted in his next round of imprisonment in 2015.

He was then released from prison on May 16, 2018, following the victory of Pakatan Harapan (PH) at the country's general election.

Malaysiakini further noted that Anwar's imprisonment in 1999 was not the first time he had been jailed.

The first instance occurred in 1974, when he was detained under Malaysia's now-defunct Internal Security Act (ISA) for 20 months.

At that time, he had been arrested during student protests against poverty and hunger.

Top photo from Anwar Ibrahim Facebook