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KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has accused Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein of being involved with the video screening that allegedly shows him having sex with an unidentified woman.
Both the PM and the home minister had yesterday denied any involvement of the police and home ministry over the emergence of the sex video.
“The screening could not have been done without the protection of Najib and the home minister. What’s more, it was done officially in a prestigious hotel, where top news editors were invited.
“How was this possible?” Anwar told reporters today, after lodging a police report on the matter at the Dang Wangi police station here.
The PKR de facto leader said that he had proof to support his allegation, and later told The Malaysian Insider that the proof was in the inaction by the police over the viewing of the sex video.
“These individuals have committed all forms of crime — criminal defamation, intimidation, and the viewing of pornography in public.
“My proof of high-level involvement is that why no action was taken by the police on this? How can porn be displayed publicly? It’s protection by the police,” said Anwar.
The opposition leader also charged that Najib’s immediate reaction in denying any police involvement last night was “strange”.
“Najib has denied any involvement . . . before any investigation has taken place.
“Why are you so apologetic?” said Anwar to a rousing applause from the 60-odd supporters who were present when he lodged the police report.
Anwar has himself denied that he was the man in the video, and called the emergence of the recording a “scurrilous attack” against him, his family and Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
PKR’s top brass, who included president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah, Sivarasa Rasiah, Latheefa Koya and N. Surendran, were all with Anwar today.
PR leaders were on the defensive yesterday, denying that the man in the video was Anwar, almost immediately after the video was screened to selected journalists by a shadowy figure who only identified himself as “Datuk T”.
“Datuk T” had said that the video was taken from closed-circuit television camera recordings found in a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur.
Anwar said today: "I have evidence . . . that this is a new form of political, malicious persecution . . . they want to character assassinate me.
"I believe that this is a planned attempt to force me and my wife out of national politics, and is part of a well-planned conspiracy," he said, reading out excerpts of his police report to reporters and PKR supporters.
Anwar demanded that a fair, thorough investigation be conducted by the police that the perpetrators be charged in court.
"I would like to remind the home minister that this should be investigated, and not use my report or case to harass me," added Anwar.
This has not been the first time the opposition leader has been accused of having affairs, but analysts say the latest accusation might prove to be the breaking point for the federal opposition.
Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 and charged and convicted of sodomy. He spent six years in prison before the country’s top court overturned the conviction in 2004.
After his release, Anwar led his PKR, DAP and PAS to record gains in Election 2008, denying Barisan Nasional (BN) its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority and cemented the three parties’ status as serious challengers for power with the formation of the PR pact.
But he was arrested later the same year and charged again in court on another sodomy accusation involving a former male aide, a charge he has denied.
So far Anwar has remained defiant in the face of the latest scandal, and despite the bleak outlook his supporters point out that he has made at least one improbable comeback in his career after he was jailed and could still do so. - Malaysian Insider
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