Najib Abdul Razak said that neither the government nor Umno had anything to do with businessman Shazryl Eskay Abdullah taking a religious oath today.

The prime minister and Umno president said that people could take such an oath if they wanted to so long as they had permission from those in charge of the mosque concerned.

“We neither encourage nor forbid (such oath-taking) and we believe all parties should have this attitude,” he told reporters after chairing an Umno supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

Eskay had taken a “ sumpah laknat ” (oath which can turn into a curse) at the Amru al-As Mosque in Bandar Baru Sentul, swearing that the man in the sex video that he passed to the police last month was opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Najib was also asked to comment on the commotion that occurred when supporters of Anwar tried to stop the oath from being taken at the mosque.

He said that the sanctity of a mosque should be observed.

“In a mosque, no one can disturb you in what you do as long as you have the permission of the mosque management,” he said.

- Bernama