Sex video: Opposition denies it's Anwar

Opposition leaders have been furiously tweeting their responses to a video screened to the members of the media this morning, purportedly showing PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim having sex with an unidentified woman.

Denying claims that the politician was the man in the video, the opposition figures said the purported expose was yet another move in the ruling BN coalition's attempts to thwart their political programme and plans.

The video was screened earlier today at the upmarket Carcosa Seri Negara hotel, to editors and journalists from both mainstream and alternative media organisations.

Malaysiakini could not reach Anwar by mobile phone for his response. A press conference, however, has been scheduled for this afternoon at PKR's headquarters in Petaling Jaya.

In Parliament, Batu MP and PKR vice-president Tian Chua ( left ) told a press conference that this latest development reflected a "very desperate BN" seeking to distract the people from issues damaging to the government.

"Again, they are shifting from major issues: election, policies... they want to keep Sarawak. So, they are shifting to personal attacks," Chua said.

He also sought to discredit the authenticity of the 20-minute video clip, since the party had not been given the original.

'Give us the original for forensic tests'

"If the people who carry out this smear campaign give us original, then we will do (the) forensics. I mean, currently we get hearsay and probably, we can see (only) on YouTube or something like that.

"They should give a copy and we will do (the) forensics," he added.

Earlier today, PKR's communications director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad tweeted: "A little bird informed me that a doctored video of DSAI (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) having sex is being shown to top editors right now.

"#fitnah2 (sic) not effective?" Nik Nazmi ( left ) said in reference to the Sodomy II court case that the opposition has claimed was meant to fitnah (slander) Anwar.

Another PKR leader, Subang Jaya MP R Sivarasa, echoed Nik Nami, saying: "BN must be getting really desperate. Do they think they can destroy DSAI and Pakatan (Rakyat) with faked videos?"

In a tweet minutes later, Sivarasa said, "After disastrous #fitnah2 court case, PM Najib (Abdul) Razak shift 2 new round of assault! A doctored video released this morning 2 smear Anwar Ibrahim."

'They'll play the issue to the extreme'

In tweets sent earlier today, Chua said he expects the mainstream media to play the matter to "the extreme" from tomorrow and for the video to be uploaded online.

"(The) whole purpose of the exercise is smearing; the people who presented video viewing in Carcosa (Seri) Negara this morning won't even reveal (their) identity," he said in one tweet.

Another one reads: "BN desperate? Skirting political debate of policies & governance in S'wak poll, (and has) shifted to focus on smearing & character assassination."

In the last tweet before his press conference, Chua said the BN was still trying to push "the same storyline.

"1st, paint Anwar Ibrahim as sodomiser, then (tell a) female prostitute story..."

Other Pakatan MPs, meanwhile, voiced their scepticism about the video.

Why today?

Speaking to Malaysiakini in Parliament, DAP’s Taiping parliamentarian Nga Khor Ming ( above ) questioned the timing of the purpoted expose, coming as it is on the same day as the dissolution of the Sarawak state assembly.

Asked whether he believes BN is behind it, Nga said: “There is no proof to support this claim, but I won’t be surprised if it was done by them.”

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng ( left ), meanwhile, said he believes the expose must have come from “someone authoritative.”

“If not I shouldn't waste my time commenting on it.

“I don't want to waste time on these kind of ‘wu liao’ things. If you all also don't know who revealed it, where is the authority? Do we know if it's true or not?

“It's not appropriate for me to say anything. I don't know head or tail about this.”

“See how they blew up Elizabeth Wong’s private issues?” he added, in references to the intimate pictures that emerged in May 2009 of Wong which BN used to cast aspersions on the Selangor exco member.

PAS’ Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad ( left ), meanwhile, said it is “obvious” BN is trying to implicate Anwar after their attempt to nail him by way of the Sodomy II trial is “failing”.

“They are just trying to create an impression that Anwar is an immoral person who is only driven by his desires,” said Khalid.

Expressing scepticism that Anwar was the male seen in the video, he said “They (BN) are slandering him as they cannot fight us from principle to principle, and from policy to policy.”

PAS vice-president and Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar urged to police to investigate the people who watched the video for engaging in the screening of a porn video.

"I also don't know the details. I just read the news and I was made to understand that there was "tunjukan video lucah" ('screening of a lewd video') at the Carcosa hotel.

"I urge the police to investigate this illegal "tunjukan video lucah", investigate all those involved, including the media.

""Our laws do not differentiate... How can this screening of a lewd video be allowed?"

"It looks like this is 'grand political mega sales (for) 2011 for the Sarawak polls. The rakyat have to be careful. It could have negative effects, like radiation, on the people," he added.

PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mohd Isa similarly declined to comment on the grounds of lack of credible proof to implicate Anwar.

"I have heard the story but there is no proof, so we must take the attitude that we cannot comment on things which there is no proof. As long there is no information and I do not know then I cannot comment.

"How can we make assumptions on matters we do not know about? This matter is only hearsay now.

'Calm down'

When approached, Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ( left ) said he knew nothing about the video.

"I have no information whatsoever about it. I didn’t see it, so I do not think I should give any statements. It would be very unfair."

On claims that BN was behind the scandal, however, Ahmad said it was in character for the opposition to indulge in such accusations and suggested they were deluded.

"They are making comments on anything. They belong to a group called the "denial syndrome" group. 

BN’s Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan ( below ) said he believed the ruling coalition has nothing to do with the video, and called for all quarters to desist on making public statements on the matter.

“It's too early for everyone to comment. Apparently the video was shown in a mysterious way. I read some of the responses by our colleagues in the opposition but they have not seen the video as well. So it's too premature for anyone to comment.

“Obviously, such personal matters should be left personal because it involves a very prominent leader. I would like to advise everybody, and I have been refraining from commenting about it on Twitter or Facebook because I think this issue is a very grave issue and it involves a very prominent leader of our country.

“It's (to do with) a family man, so it's very personal. People have been poking me (on Facebook), asking me questions, but I didn't tweet about it. Everyone must calm down, as it's a big issue,” said Abdul Rahman.

Asked about the opposition’s claims the video was exposed in order to lessen Pakatan’s chances at the Sarawak elections, Abdul Rahman said such claims are doubtful.

“Firstly, everyone is trying to tie this to BN. I don't think it is, honestly. We don't know who this Datuk T (who organised the ‘screening at Carcosa Hotel’) but I've been in Parliament and looking at the opposition bench, I see that they are calm, which is good. No one has stood up and asked about this video so it's good.

“We should calm down and lets see. For me I'll refrain from commenting on Twitter and all that because it's not fair,” he said.

On whether action should be taken against ‘Datuk T’ over the matter, Abdul Rahman said: “I don't' know about the law but I think he's just trying to say, ‘Look, we have a leader of this character. He will come out in the open soon, I think.

“He must because I'm sure Datuk Seri Anwar will sue him, but obviously he has to defend his credibility (over) the video.

“But I think people should calm down. There has been a lot of speculation, I've not seen the video. I'm not saying it's true, but I think we should take a step and calm down, look at it rationally. If it's true then it's bad, if it's not true, it's also bad. Either way, we have to wait for the truth.

BN backbenchers deputy chairperson and Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin ( above ) defended ‘Datuk T’ as the latter must have known the risks.

“If (the video is) not true, he can be charged in court,” said the parliamentarian.

If the video is authentic, Bung Moktar said “then people have to accept the fact that this opposition is nothing. No kewibawaan (credibility) and cannot bring any keuntungan (good) to the rakyat and the nation.”

Denying BN was involved in the scandal, Bung Moktar said those responsible should be dragged to court.

“Neither Umno or BN are involved in this, but (perhaps) individuals and NGOs,” he said.

- Additional reporting by Regina Lee

VIDEO | 4.19 mins

'Blue Monday' at Carcosa Seri Negara

Anwar: I'm not the man in the sex video

Top opposition politician caught on sex video?

'Datuk T' - the mystery man behind video screening

Questions abound over sex tape