Anwar’s orders for police probe grounded in ‘national security’: Pakatan sec-gen

KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s orders for police to investigate those making false claims against him is to safeguard “national interest and security”, said Pakatan Harapan (PH) secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

In a statement today, Saifuddin said the order was given by Anwar after a slew of allegedly “inflammatory statements” were made by PAS leaders after the general election.

He added that the prime minister needed to issue the order to police since the home minister post and other cabinet positions have not been filled.

The former Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP was responding to Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek who yesterday said that Anwar doesn’t have the power to order police to act against those that made false claims against him.

The lawyer had said sole powers to order an investigation against anyone lies with the inspector-general.

Zaid’s remarks came after PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil revealed last Monday that Anwar had ordered police to act against those that spread slanderous statements against him, including that he is an Israeli agent.

The following day, police said that it was investigating Hassan Saad after he was name-dropped in the viral audio recording of a woman claiming that she was informed by the PAS lawmaker that Anwar had worked with Israel and other foreign powers to stop PAS from forming the government following the conclusion of the 15th general election.

Saifuddin stressed that the police decided to open an investigation against Hassan based on police reports lodged against the lawmaker, and not based on an order from Anwar.

“Zaid should have been more diligent in seeking confirmation from police before making such unwarranted allegations against the prime minister.”

Last Tuesday, Anwar, through law firm SN Nair & Partners, served Hassan with a letter of demand and gave him three days to provide a general and written confirmation that he was not involved in the matter.

Anwar is also demanding for the audio clip to be retracted, claiming that it had defamed him.

Hassan, however, had since denied his involvement with the audio recording. – The Vibes, December 1, 2022