Anwar rubbishes speculation his supporters plotted to topple Azmin with sex video

Anwar Ibrahim (above in a file photo) has dismissed talk that his faction is behind a plot to topple Azmin Ali. ST FILE PHOTO

PORT DICKSON - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), on Saturday (June 15) rubbishes talk that his faction is behind a plot to topple his deputy Azmin Ali, by releasing a gay sex video that has rocked Malaysian politics.

The video clips allegedly showed Datuk Seri Azmin and another PKR man engaging in homosexual acts.

Mr Anwar, the MP for Port Dickson ward, said there was no reason for him or his supporters to be involved in such a despicable act, The Star reported on its website.

"There is already an attempt to slander one person (Azmin) and the reason why that happened cannot be justified by another slander," he told reporters, as quoted by The Star.

"Secondly, why would I or my supporters be involved in it?"

Mr Anwar said at his Hari Raya open house in Port Dickson: "Some people say it's because he (Azmin) is a threat but we already have an agreement on my position and the PM himself said this as recently as last week."

Mr Anwar, 71, was asked to comment on speculation that he and his supporters had conspired to kill off Mr Azmin politically, as he was becoming a threat to Mr Anwar's position.

Mr Anwar and Mr Azmin head opposite factions in PKR, one of the four parties under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance that governs Malaysia.

Mr Azmin's supporters have hinted that the Anwar faction could be behind the release of the video .

Haziq Aziz, 27, a PKR Youth chief in Sarawak, last Wednesday said he was one of the two men seen in video clips that were widely shared on WhatsApp. He claimed his sex partner was Mr Azmin, 54.

The minister has strongly denied the claim and said there is a plot to kill his political career.

Mr Azmin's supporters have said that the video clips were meant to trash Mr Azmin's credibility. Mr Azmin has been whispered to be favoured by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to become the next Malaysian premier, despite a PH agreement to elevate Mr Anwar as prime minister two years after the ruling alliance comes to power.

PH won federal power in the general election in May last year.

Mr Anwar said on Saturday that all four parties in PH support him as their incoming prime minister, giving him a strong basis for the premiership.

"All four from PKR, DAP, Amanah and Bersatu are in agreement that I be made next PM as per our agreement," he said as quoted by The Star. He was referring to the Democratic Action Party, Parti Amanah Negara, and Tun Mahathir's Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

Mr Anwar, asked on comments by veteran PKR supporters group, Otai Reformasi,that Dr Mahathir should set a date when he would hand Mr Anwar the premiership, said he was not supportive of it.

"They are free to voice their opinion but I have to disagree. That matter is strictly between the PM and Pakatan Harapan to decide," Mr Anwar said.

He said he also disagreed with calls by Otai Reformasi that Mr Azmin should go on leave till police concludes its probe on the sex video.

Asked if the episode would erode members' faith in PKR, which has the biggest number of MPs in Parliament , Mr Anwar said he believed it would not.

"As long as members do not become emotional or spread more slander then I believe we will continue to remain strong and united," he added. PKR has 50 federal MPs.

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