KUALA LUMPUR - Lawmaker Nurul Izzah Anwar on Wednesday (June 12) weighed in on a sex video that has roiled Malaysian politics this week, saying everyone must disassociate themselves from such "gutter politics" and "vile toxicity".

"It's a sad day for Malaysia as the sordidness of gutter politics rears its ugly head again."

"We certainly deserve better than the ongoing media coverage and frenzy the vile allegations have gained," the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) MP wrote on her Facebook on Wednesday.

The sex video purportedly showed a Cabinet minister and another man in sex acts.

The Cabinet minister has not made any comments.

On Wednesday, PKR politician Muhammad Haziq Abdul Aziz claimed in a video confession posted on his Facebook that he was the man seen in the video with the alleged minister.

Mr Haziq, 27, is senior private secretary to the deputy minister of primary industries and commodities.

Mr Haziq claimed the video was recorded without his knowledge at a hotel room in May in Sandakan, Sabah.

Ms Nurul Izzah, 38, whose father Anwar Ibrahim found himself at the centre of sex allegations with several men in 1998, said the objective of those behind the release of the new video is clear.

"It has no other objective than to spell an end to the career, reputation and character of leaders utilising dirty and scurrilous personal attacks and fitna (slander)," she wrote.

Ms Nurul Izzah added: "My sympathies are with them and family. We must never underestimate nor lose sight of the personal human cost to everyone concerned as a consequence of slander.

"We must all unite in condemning such vileness and disassociate ourselves from propagating such filth."

The year-old Pakatan Harapan government is struggling to meet its election promise of improving lives for Malaysians and Ms Nurul Izzah indicated that this should be the priority.

"Let's focus instead on issues and things that matter. On making Malaysia better," she said. "This vile toxicity isn't part of our political culture. It must never be."

Meanwhile, Umno lawmaker Khairy Jamaluddin in an Instagram Story on Wednesday urged Malaysians to "look away" from sordid news involving politics.

"Politics is a tough profession. Some days, it's dirty. Some days, it's downright filthy," the MP said. "Today it stinks to the high heaven".

"Seriously, we are already a nation traumatised by slanders of the past. Do we really want to expose another generation to despicable allegations with the sole intent of destroying someone's character?"

"If you come across sordid news today involving our politics, look away. Vile filth thrives when it's given attention."