Police investigating a plot allegedly involving foreign entities to topple Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government may now have to probe how a Washington-based firm was engaged in 2016 to pressure then-premier Najib Abdul Razak to free Anwar from prison.
A media invitation circulated this morning revealed that several activists, alongside a representative from Bersatu Youth, will lodge a police report on the matter at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters tomorrow.
They are pushing for an investigation under Section 124B of the Penal Code, which criminalises activities “detrimental to parliamentary democracy”, as well as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
Police are investigating Na’imah Abdul Khalid, widow of former minister Daim Zainuddin, under Section 124B over allegations that a plan was in place to undermine the government’s narrative - portraying legal proceedings against her late husband and their family as politically motivated persecution rather than a legitimate anti-corruption effort.
On Tuesday, former PKR vice-president R Sivarasa confirmed that in 2016, party leaders, including himself, were in contact with a US political consultancy firm about securing Anwar’s release from prison.
This came in response to reports citing leaked emails, which alleged PKR had worked with the Washington-based firm to exert pressure on Najib.
However, Sivarasa emphasised that lobbying for the release of political detainees was normal and “perfectly acceptable”.
Anwar himself has defended PKR’s efforts, describing them as a fight for freedom.
‘False claims’
The controversy over PKR’s lobbying follows a leaked 13-page document, reportedly a “communications plan” prepared in August last year, allegedly part of Daim’s family’s efforts to safeguard his reputation amid legal action by the MACC.
Meanwhile, Na’imah’s lawyers have dismissed Anwar’s claim that their client’s PR plan involved “bankers” and “Zionists” in an attempt to sabotage the country.
Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh called Anwar’s remarks in Parliament “false, preposterous, (and) outrageous”, accusing the premier of deliberately misleading the Dewan Rakyat and the public.
They added that the communications plan prepared last August was merely a standard crisis-management strategy due to ongoing investigations by the MACC against Daim’s family.
The alleged plot by Daim’s family surfaced amid allegations that MACC’s top officials were part of a “corporate mafia” scheme, which sparked calls for the establishment of a royal commission of inquiry to investigate the matter. - Mkini
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