Anwar leaves it to cops to probe author for blackmail

PETALING JAYA (Bernama): PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he would leave it to the police to take appropriate action against author Yahaya Ismail who threatened to publish a book disparaging him if not paid RM400,000.

Confirming that he had received the threat from the author of the book titled 'Mengapa Anwar Tak Boleh Jadi PM' (Why Anwar Cannot Become PM), the Port Dickson MP said a police report on the matter had been lodged on Wednesday (June 19) against the writer.

The report was made by Kedah PKR Leadership Council chairman Datuk Johari Abdul.

Anwar was speaking to reporters after attending a Hari Raya Fellowship Dinner organised by the Malaysia-India Business Council (MIBC) here attended by some 200 guests on Wednesday night.

"The person who wrote this... was paid, was hired, and the time has come for this writer to be known among the public, to be investigated and for appropriate action to be taken," said Anwar.

At an earlier press conference in Petaling Jaya held after the conclusion of the PKR Political Bureau meeting, Johari said he received the book manuscript on June 10 and lodged the report because the book was defamatory towards Anwar. – Bernama