Hisham to sue Anwar over sex video claims

Hishammuddin claims the statements made against him are defamatory. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein will sue Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over allegations that he was behind the sex tape allegedly featuring the opposition leader if Anwar does not retract his statement before the weekend is up.

Hishammuddin’s move comes as no surprise as the home minister had already stated on March 23 that he was considering legal action against Anwar.

The Malaysian Insider understands that a letter of demand was delivered to Anwar’s home in Segambut on Thursday.

“The letter states that Anwar is given 48 hours to retract and other demands before legal proceedings (are) initiated,” a senior PKR leader told The Malaysian Insider.

The PKR leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Hishammuddin, in the letter of demand, wanted Anwar to retract statements made against the home minister on March 22 at the Dang Wangi police station.

“Basically, Hishammuddin is alleging that the statements made against him by Anwar are defamatory in nature,” said the PKR source.

Two weeks ago, a mysterious “Datuk T” had screened a video purportedly showing Anwar having sex with an unidentified woman.

Former Malacca Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik, businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah and Perkasa treasurer-general Datuk Shuib Lazim then claimed responsibility for the video, saying they screened the video to show “a man who wants to be prime minister is not qualified.”

A man and a woman are seen at an unidentified location in this still image from the now-removed controversial YouTube video.

Anwar had on March 22 instead trained his guns on Hishammuddin and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, accusing them of being involved with the screening of the video to press members.

But both the PM and the home minister denied any involvement by the police and Home Ministry over the emergence of the sex video.

“The letter was only delivered to his residence, it was not served on him personally,” stressed the PKR leader.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Anwar is engaging veteran lawyer Sulaiman Abdullah to assist him in the matter while Hishammuddin has engaged Tan Sri Cecil Abraham from the firm Zulrafique and Co to represent him.

The letter of demand was sent via Zulrafique and Co.

A 107-second snippet surfaced on the Internet on Sunday, just two days after police said the video was not doctored.

It made public part of the video that was only screened to select individuals and reporters prior to this but the clip has since been taken down from YouTube for violating the video site’s policy on nudity and sexual content.

PKR has claimed that the clip proved the man in the video was not its de facto leader and repeated its demand that the trio be arrested for pornography.

DAP lawmaker and veteran lawyer Karpal Singh said recently that the “Datuk T” trio could be charged under section 292 of the Penal Code and section 5 of the Film Censorship Act for allegedly distributing obscene material as well as criminal defamation and criminal intimidation. - Malaysian Insider