Jalan Setiamurni, in the affluent Bukit Damansara neighbourhood, will always be etched in my memory. This is where, six years ago as a fledgling newspaper reporter, I came face to face with Anwar Ibrahim.

It was Sept 2, 1998. A date that both Anwar and I will always remember. For the former, this was the day he fell spiraling from the apex of power while I, on the other hand, was unwittingly thrust into the making of history.

My journalistic experience grew in leaps and bounds over the next 18 days until the former deputy premier was arrested.

Apart from being hit with tear gas, water cannons and caught in the trajectory of flying bricks, it was also the first and only time I had feasted on a bowl of 'laksa reformasi'.

And speaking of reformasi, that word is also engraved in my memory, after being subjected to a daily dose during my days (and on some occasions, nights) loitering about Anwar's house.

Other unforgettable words from that sojourn, include 'Hidup Anwar', 'Undur Mahathir Undur' and 'Allahuakbar'.

Eventful days

During those eventful days, thousands flocked to his residence. People from all walks of life, creed, colour and nationality gathered there. It drew both the die-hard supporters and curious onlookers.

Also not forgetting, the international media representatives, who ended up in Bukit Damansara, instead of Bukit Jalil for the Commonwealth games.

The police presence at times made one wonder wether there were any cops left to patrol the city and I used to amuse myself in trying to spot the Special Branch personnel among the crowd.

Then there were also the numerous press conferences and fiery speeches, where allegations of conspiracy, cronyism and nepotism were commonplace.

Although I must confess of not being a great fan of Anwar, I nevertheless disagreed with the way he was treated, ridiculed and humiliated by the then powers-that-be.

In my opinion, a deputy premier, albeit a sacked one, deserved more respect.

I also could not help feeling sorry for the man, especially the psychological and emotional turmoil he must have endured when booted out from the corridors of power after all those years.

The pain of his wife and children in losing a loved one also overwhelmed me with sadness. One could only imagine what they went through.

The police aggravated the situation by using excessive force on his supporters. Its then chief dragged things down further by socking the jailed politician in the face, leaving him black and blue.

The ensuing trials were riddled with loopholes and contradictions that left many wondering if the whole thing was a charade after all.

At the end of the day, the ex-deputy premier's fall from grace marked a new beginning for democracy in this country. Suddenly, human rights, press freedom and good governance were no longer topics restricted to the elite, but found their way into conversations at coffee-shops and roadside stalls.

Anwar was a major crack in the Barisan Nasional fortress and many rushed in with their crowbars, hoping to wedge it further apart.

Full circle

Anyway, as the ex-deputy premier served his prison sentence, I left the newspaper industry and wandered from place to place.

In 2001, providence returned me to a newsroom but this time, a desk-job.

So over the next three years, I witnessed Anwar sitting through one hearing after another. Every time he failed, an avalanche of criticism against the government and judiciary would follow.

Hope was renewed when his nemesis Dr Mahathir Mohamad stepped down and was replaced by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

However, when the Court of Appeal upheld his conviction, despair set in once again and the new premier was accused of not being any better than his predecessor.

Then, amid rumours of a secret deal, the Federal Court yesterday, exactly six years after he was sacked, freed Anwar.

And there I was once again, this time voluntarily, at his residence in Jalan Setiamurni. It must have been as much of a dj vu for him as it was for me.

The same crowd, the immense media presence, the familiar chants of 'reformasi' and 'allahuakbar'. Even his press conference was held at the same place. The only thing missing was the 'laksa reformasi'.

But this Anwar was different. Gone were the fiery speeches and charismatic demeanour. In their place, a frail looking and soft-spoken man, who had to be carried into his own house.

God only knows what the future holds for this politician, who came so close, but yet went so far away from the most coveted position in the country.

Anyway for what its worth, welcome back Datuk Seri. You and I have come a full cycle.

RK ANAND is a member of malaysiakini.