Anwar says sex video shows Umno’s evil politics

Anwar takes part during a prayer session at his home, March 24, 2011. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim moved to turn the tables on Umno last night, claiming Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik’s involvement in the video allegedly of the opposition leader reflected Umno’s willingness to resort to “disgusting and evil” politics.

“Who planned this? Rahim Thamby Chik. Does Umno have no one else more credible?” he said, referring to the former Umno vice president who had to resign as Malacca chief minister after being hit by allegations of statutory rape.

Anwar told a majority Muslim crowd of about 400 who had turned up at his residence in Segambut for a night of prayer and sermons that the story of the mysterious “Datuk T” had changed since the 21-minute video first surfaced on Monday.

“In the first day, Umno thought that we were finished. But now that Rahim Thamby Chik’s involvement has come to light, we can see that the video has no credibility,” the PKR de facto leader said.

Rahim speaks to reporters outside Bukit Aman, March 24, 2011. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Abdul Rahim and businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah had claimed responsibility for the sex video on Wednesday after PKR’s Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul said that he had been shown the video by the duo on Monday.

Rahim had said that along with Perkasa treasurer-general Datuk Shuib Lazim, he and Shazryl had produced the video to show that “a person who wants to be national leader and PM... was not qualified.”

Johari also accused Abdul Rahim and Shazryl of attempting to entice him and other PKR MPs to defect after he had viewed the recording, which he said was of a person who only vaguely resembled Anwar.

Abdul Rahim said instead that it was Johari who had demanded money to defect after the latter was shown the video.

PKR has also claimed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had met the trio involved in the sex video in Parliament on Wednesday and called on the Umno president to explain himself.

Anwar also questioned last night how the police have not arrested the “Datuk T” trio despite clearly committing an offence by screening pornography.

The Permatang Pauh MP added that his ongoing sodomy trial was rife with inconsistencies in terms of the DNA evidence available and also whether there was any penetration of his accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s anus.

Anwar, who is seen as the glue that binds Pakatan Rakyat (PR), has played a key role in forming a viable opposition coalition in the run-up to the landmark 2008 general election when the three main opposition parties denied BN its traditional two-thirds control of Parliament.

The fledgling three-party coalition also won control over four other states — Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor — in addition to maintaining Kelantan in the 12th General Election.

A former deputy prime minister from 1993 to 1998, Anwar filed a police report on Tuesday denying he was the man recorded.

The father of six has accused Najib and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein of being involved in the video-recording, which Anwar said was an attack on him and PR. - Malaysian Insider