KUALA LUMPUR - Contrary to reports, the latest police investigation on opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is not just focussed on his constitutional bid to take over Putrajaya.
It seems to be a motley bundle of cases related to a disparate range of alleged offences.
A list of investigation papers that the police are required to prepare, sighted by The Vibes, contains six specific cases that he is now being probed on.
The PKR president and Port Dickson MP was questioned for two hours at Bukit Aman yesterday.
This came in the wake of his audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on October 13 over the purported majority support he now enjoys among MPs to take over as prime minister.
Of the six cases, four include investigations under section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA 1998) for improper use of network facilities or network service, et cetera.
The section covers any communication which is “obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person”.
Three cases include references to section 505(b) of the Penal Code for “statements conducing to public mischief”.
It relates to any statement, rumour or report with “intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm” among the public.
One case is an investigation on sodomy under section 377B of the Penal Code which covers carnal intercourse against the order of nature.
Yet another is under section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 for an “act related to seditious tendency, words or publication”.
The six cases are each focussed as follows:
> The dissemination of a list of names of 121 MPs who support Anwar, in the MH Daily web portal - under section 505(b) of the Penal Code and section 233 of CMA 1998;
> A statement by Anwar that the government led by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has collapsed due to reduced majority support among MPs - under section 4(1) of the Sedition Act and section 233 of CMA 1998;
> A sodomy case between Anwar and a certain Aidil Azim - under section 377B of the Penal Code;
> A video recording of Anwar saying that gambling shops have been in operation - under section 505(b) of the Penal Code and section 233 of CMA 1998 ; and
> A video recording of Anwar’s speech that there are 6.7 million foreigners in Malaysia - under section 505(b) of the Penal Code and section 233 of CMA 1998.
> The veracity of Anwar's details in his press conference on the submission of documents to the King
Speaking to reporters after leaving the police headquarters yesterday, Anwar had described the ongoing investigations as nothing more than malicious political harassment from those in power.
“Clearly, from my understanding, there was political instruction to the police, with the manner in which the questions were raised and the issues that were brought up,” he had said.
On the investigation into the alleged sodomy, Anwar said it is a political ploy to pressure him at such a critical moment in his bid to form a new government.
He also said the police had requested for the names of MPs who were backing him to be prime minister.
Anwar described the police's focus on the names as “disconcerting and mind-boggling”.
“It makes no sense for anyone else to know in detail what transpired during my audience with the Agong,” he said, adding that it had nothing to do with the police or the home minister. – The Vibes, October 17, 2020
