Three Johor police officers today questioned PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim at the party's headquarters in Tropicana, Petaling Jaya, over banners put up in Johor that contained pictures of him and that of the state ruler as well.

NONE Anwar ( far left in photo ), who is also parliamentary Opposition Leader, arrived at 10.38am accompanied by three bodyguards.

Just before 11am, he was  joined by party information chief Latheefa Koya and treasurer William Leong, who are also his lawyers.

A senior police officer accompanied by two others ( below ) from the Batu Pahat district police headquarters, arrived at the PKR headquarters at 11.44am.

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Anwar was questioned on the mysterious appearance of 'phantom' banners in Johor that depicted Anwar alongside Johor PKR chief Chua Jui Meng and Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar.

 

The banners, that Umno has accused PKR of being responsible for, also declared that the state PKR supports Chua for menteri besar.

 

However, Chua and the state PKR have denied involvement in the banners, and pointed the finger at Umno.

The lead officer who interviewed Anwar was the same officer who interviewed Chua on the same matter last week.

NONE Speaking at a press conference soon after the interview ended at 12.34pm, Anwar said he was questioned as a witness under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

"My photo was on the banner, so they need to talk to me as a witness," he said.

The PKR leader reiterated that neither he nor the party were involved in printing or putting up the banners.

"I and the party have no knowledge of this. We were only informed about it. There was no such banner at our talk and at the dinner-lecture I was at. So this must be the work of other parties.

"If you look, this was (done by those who want) to cast aspersions on or embarrass us. I am convinced... this is not the work of someone who is acting in the best interests of PKR," Anwar said.

NONE The Permatang Pauh MP believes that those responsible want to put PKR on a collision course with the palace and to provoke the Malays against the party by encouraging talk that PKR would appoint a Chinese as MB in the Malay-majority state.

Anwar also thanked the police for their courteous manner in handling the matter and urged them to get to the bottom of the case soon and arrest the culprits who were trying to drag the royalty into the political arena.

"I hope the police can act swiftly and professionally," he added.

The Johor police are investigating the matter after receiving nearly 40 police reports over the banners, many of which were placed along the route that the sultan had taken during his recent Kembara Mahkota Johor tour of the state.

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