By Julia ZappeiThe Associated Press 22nd March 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s opposition pledged Tuesday to fight allegations that Anwar Ibrahim was filmed having sex with a prostitute, insisting its leader’s troubles won’t fracture his three-party alliance ahead of national elections expected within a year.
A sex video depicting a man believed to resemble Anwar was shown to several Malaysian journalists under mysterious circumstances Monday. It has not been publicly circulated, but opposition officials are scrambling to convince people that it is a plot hatched by the government.
Prime Minister Najib Razak denied authorities made the video, which marks the latest accusation of sexual misconduct confronting Anwar. He is currently on trial on charges he sodomized a 25-year-old male former aide and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Anwar’s top allies held a news conference Tuesday to voice their support for him, claiming the video was simply the latest effort to smear Anwar’s reputation.
“All Malaysians must express their outrage and condemnation that Malaysian politics have reached a new depth of character assassination,” said Lim Kit Siang, a veteran official in the Democratic Action Party.
The opposition believes the release of the video was timed ahead a key state election on Borneo island expected next month. Anwar’s alliance needs to perform well in the election to boost its flagging morale ahead of snap national polls that many believe Najib will call by early 2012.
A group of people who refused to identify themselves summoned journalists from several Malaysian newspapers and websites Monday to a hotel, where they privately screened a 20-minute video of a man having sex with a woman.
The group’s representative claimed the woman was a prostitute from China, the Malaysiakini news website said. He alleged it was made at a Kuala Lumpur hotel Feb. 21, but Anwar insists he was at home with his family that night.
Anwar filed a police complaint Tuesday seeking an investigation into what he described as “an orchestrated attempt to force my wife and me out of national politics.”
“I will fight them, and I will fight them hard,” Anwar said.
Nazri Abdul Aziz, the Cabinet minister responsible for parliamentary affairs, on Tuesday criticized opposition leaders for blaming the government for the video.
“The opposition always says it is the work” of the ruling coalition, Malaysiakini quoted Nazri as saying. “You have problems in your party, solve it.”
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