Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR (politicsnowmy.blogspot.com) - As the specter of indecent molest and sexual assault returns, another big drama appears to have conveniently fallen into Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's lap. This time it's a series of videos that allegedly recorded a group of state legislative assemblymen discussing bribes over a project linked to the state's chief minister.
The bombshell comes at an opportune time for the embattled 77-year-old Anwar, who is facing severe backlash and public scrutiny over his perceived failure to walk the talk on his anti-corruption promises. But more sinisterly, ahead of a tell-all press conference due to be given tomorrow (November 12) by Yusoff Rawther, a former aide who has accused Anwar of sexual assault including indecent molest.
"The bribery dramas are diversion. Don't chase after red herrings. First it was Selangor, then Fashion Valet and now this finger-pointing at what appears to be a Pas-led state government. The real issue is actually this," an insider in Anwar's ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition told PoliticsNow Malaysia, referring to the Yusoff Rawther presser.
ANOTHER OUTSTANDINGLY HANDSOME VICTIM?
Victim in second sodomy conviction - Saiful Bukhari
Yusoff Rawther, now 31, is the grandson of the late Penang consumer advocate SM Mohamed Idris. His family, a respectable clan in the northern state, has stood by him and are vocal about his safety. In 2018, the outstandingly good-looking Yusoff had worked as Anwar's research assistant. His bombshell that Anwar had sexually assaulted him days before the Port Dickson by-election was balloted had shocked the nation.
Anwar has denied Yusoff's accusations. The scandal-tainted Anwar had won the rather hurriedly-held PD polls, paving the way for his return to Parliament after securing a controversial full pardon for his second sodomy conviction. In conservative and predominantly-Muslim Malaysia, sodomy is still illegal. According to Anwar, it was Yusoff who had lied under oath to the authorities regarding the sexual assault.
Nonetheless, the court did in 2022 find Anwar's press secretary, Tunku Nashrul, guilty over a media statement issued in 2019. It ordered Tunku Nashrul to not only publicly apologise to Yusoff but to pay him RM200,000 in damages as well. Tunku Nashrul had in the media statement denied a separate assault incident involving Anwar's former political secretary and still right-hand man, albeit behind the scenes, Farhash Wafa Salvador, had also taken place.
Yusoff also filed the main sexual assault complaint against Anwar in 2021 and the court has set June 16, 2025 for a seven-day trial to be heard. Yusoff is seeking, among others, special, general, aggravated and exemplary damages as well as interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
He has also filed a separate assault case against Farhash, who was among the first to be rewarded by Anwar with several lucrative corporate appointments, when the latter swept to power in the 2022 general election. In that suit, Yusoff is claiming damages for the injuries he suffered from Farhash's alleged beating at Anwar’s bungalow office in Bukit Gasing, Petaling Jaya.
SEX SCANDALS & ANWAR'S ACHILLES HEEL
The complex case has been made even more convoluted by accusations that the police were trying to cover up for Anwar while the courts were also perceived as delaying or dragging their feet over the case, which is bound to impact the already unpopular Anwar negatively.
Indeed, Anwar is no stranger to sexual controversy. Twice-convicted in two separate court cases involving two different victims, Anwar has been to jail twice for sexual offences. Then in the opposition, he had accused former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin of framing him for the first case and disgraced ex-premier Najib Razak for the second.
"Who can Anwar point the finger at this time but the victim Yusoff Rawther himself, no one knows. But Anwar is now PM, the most powerful man in the country. He can practically order anyone's arrest, his power is that enormous. His government especially his communications minister has already been accused of blocking free speech, anti-Anwar comments as well as gagging social media and the conventional media." said the insider.
"It's too soon to say whether the Yusoff Rawther trial will lead to the collapse of the government. But what is safe to say is how Anwar reacts and responds will be the key to his own political survival. The people are not fools and they will know what is overkill by Anwar and the Farhash crowd and what is not. Their sense of justice will either send Anwar packing his bags or off to another term as PM."
FAKE GUNS & DRUGS? - BUT WILL 'OVERKILL' SEND ANWAR PACKING?
Yusoff Rawther
The insider was referring to how the police had arrested Yusoff in September, after claiming to have found 2 fake pistols and 305g of ganja (or cannabis) in his car.
"Yusoff said in his recorded statement that the guns and drugs were planted in his car by people who harboured a grudge or enmity against him," his lawyer Rafique Rashid had said, pointing out that Yusoff had also passed a urine test.
"Yusoff is concerned for his safety, not to mention that his civil cases involving influential people are still ongoing. These cases have their own sensitivities," added the lawyer.
Yusoff, who pleaded not guilty, has been in detention since September 6. This case is due for mention tomorrow, hence the move by his family, activists and civil society to press for bail and his immediate release pending trial. If found guilty, he faces a maximum jail term of one year or a maximum fine of up to RM5,000, or both.
STRATEGY OF DEFLECTION - FROM SELANGOR TO KEDAH?
Kedah chief minister Sanusi Nor
Meanwhile, deflection tactic or not, the latest drama to rock the nation has heated up to new ridiculous levels with the purported whistleblower now leaking to a pro-Anwar news portal that he had reached out to Anwar for intervention and protection over several video recordings he had in his possession that allegedly showed the chief minister and several assemblymen discussing bribes in exchange for awarding a deal to a certain company.
A 17-second recording had been released by the whistleblower's lawyer to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission but the MACC has played down the clip and insisted they could not guarantee immunity for his client from being investigated if he too was involved in the bribery.
"My officers couldn’t make head nor tail of the issue from an audio clip that short, or start an investigation. It is impossible,” MACC chief Azam Baki had said when contacted a day ago.
“In order for us to give immunity, the person will have to come forward and present themselves to the agency and lodge a report. On immunity which the lawyer has sought for the client, protection will be revoked if the person is found to be involved in a crime,” added Azam.
According to the news portal, there are eight video recordings although it was not disclosed which state government or chief minister was involved. Yet many political watchers have linked the case to the corruption accusations dogging Kedah chief minister Sanusi Nor, who was earlier this year hauled up for a three-hour interrogation by the MACC over deals involving the Kedah Football Association.
Sanusi is a rising star in Pas, the biggest political party in the country and a lynchpin member of the PN opposition bloc. The deals were rumored to be related to a racing circuit and the building of five water dams.
Last month, a rash of similarly shadowy accusations had been leaked to the pro-government media over alleged corruption in Selangor state's sandmining operations. Nothing has come of the accusations so far - with many pundits connecting the dramatic and aggressive style of the 'spin' to 'cyber-troopers and propagandists' from Anwar's PKR party.
The aim was ostensibly to cut down to size opposition politician - Azmin Ali of the Bersatu party who was also a former chief minister of Selangor - as well as to allegedly send a message to the incumbent chief minister Amirudin Shari to toe party boss Anwar's line.
Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia
https://politicsnowmy.blogspot.com/
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