Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz wants a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to "clear BN's name" over the sex video issue.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail yesterday denied that it was her husband Anwar Ibrahim in the video, thereby raising the spectre of BN culpability.

NONE "Wan Azizah is not a competent party to identify (the person in the video) because she is the spouse," said Nazri, who noted that there is conflict of interest in the matter.

The BN, he said, has to respond swiftly in order to avoid public speculation that it is behind the video.

“It would not be needed if she did not say anything. But she said it and it was out in the papers. Because of her denial, the public now may think that it is the BN that is responsible.

“As the government, we must not only be clean, but also perceived to be clean."

Nazri also said the people have a right to know the facts of the case. Without access to such facts, they would speculate and reach the wrong conclusions.

NONE The BN could not blame the public for the interest in the controversial video, since the person allegedly involved is a prominent public figure, he said.

"If it was just Mat Kengkang (‘ordinary Joe’) in the sex video, then no one would want to know," he said.

Nazri said he wanted the RCI to be given the responsibility to ascertain the authenticity of the video and identify the actor.

The RCI composition could be decided later, although he cautioned that panel members must be those without any connection with the case.

"No one with a conflict of interest can sit on the panel," Nazri stressed.

Pakatan stance 'baffling'

Asked about the strong opposition to the RCI by DAP chairperson Karpal Singh and other Pakatan Rakyat MPs, Nazri indicated that he was befuddled by their stance.

"In the Teoh Beng Hock issue, they wanted an RCI, as well as in the VK Lingam issue. Those are small matters to me.

“This is a big issue, because it may involve the Opposition Leader. Why won't they want a RCI for this big matter?"

Nazri said he believed the BN would be taking a great risk in holding the RCI, which was why he was baffled by Pakatan's position.

NONE Should the RCI determine that Anwar was not connected to the video, he said, Anwar could become the next PM, while the BN would suffer a loss of credibility.

"I shall strongly recommend that the cabinet constitutes the RCI, at the meeting on Friday," he said.

Nazri also denied yesterday's report by news portal The Malaysian Insider that he wanted to move a motion in Parliament to set up an RCI on the sex tape issue.

"It is only today that I decided to push for the RCI, after the statement from Wan Azizah. Last time I only supported Karpal's suggestion to screen the video in Parliament, nothing else." he added.

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