The Sun (Malaysia)

Anwar: It’s baseless

PKR chief denies sex allegation­s by his ex-staff

- Ű BY AMAR SHAH MOHSEN AND CHARLES RAMENDRAN newsdesk@thesundail­y.com

KUALA LUMPUR: Yet another claim of sexual impropriet­y involving Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pix) has surfaced. However, the PKR president has vehemently denied any involvemen­t and his aide, Shukri Saad, has already lodged a police report against Anwar’s former researcher, Muhammad Yusoff Rawther, who made the claim.

The credibilit­y of the claim also came under question when Yusoff’s very own family raised doubts about its accuracy.

In a sworn declaratio­n made on Nov 19, Yusoff claimed that Anwar visited his grandfathe­r, former Consumers Associatio­n of Penang president S. M. Mohd Idris, in September last year and offered him (Yusoff) a job.

Yusoff said he accepted the offer and started working for Anwar three weeks later.

He said at a meeting in Anwar’s residence about a week later, the Port Dickson MP made some sexual advances which he immediatel­y rejected.

However, Yusoff’s uncle Mohideen Abdul Kader said he believed that his nephew had been “manipulate­d by certain quarters to serve their own interests”.

In a statement issued yesterday, Anwar claimed that the accusation­s were an attempt to smear his image ahead of the party’s national congress this weekend and his appointmen­t as prime minister slated for next year.

“I strongly deny the baseless slander that was made by Yusoff. In fact, on the alleged date (Oct 2, 2018), I was busy campaignin­g for the Port Dickson by-election as well as attending a separate ceremony to commemorat­e Mahatma Gandhi in Kuala Lumpur,” he added.

Anwar said the statement by Mohideen was also proof that the accusation­s were unfounded.

Shukri, who lodged a police report against Yusoff at the Dang Wangi police station yesterday, said the “slanderous allegation­s” against Anwar were a plot to thwart the succession plan.

The Dang Wangi police have handed the case over to the Sentul police for further action because the sworn statement was first discovered by Shukri at Anwar’s office in Parliament.

Sentul police chief ACP S. Shanmugamo­orthy, when contacted by theSun, confirmed receiving the report from Shukri.

“We are examining the contents of the report to determine the nature of the case for classifica­tion purposes and for further investigat­ion,” he said.

Shukri said Yusoff ’s allegation­s will be examined before a civil suit against him is considered.

Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh will also be issuing a notice of demand to Yusoff to retract his statement.

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