AS Hari Raya marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan, so has the week after the official public holidays and festivities signalled the end of political ceasefire and civility.

On Tuesday, Malaysians woke up to news of another sex scandal reminiscent of one 20 years ago that changed the political landscape.

This time, the politician involved is Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali, who is not holding as high a position as Anwar Ibrahim did when he was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 for alleged sodomy and corruption charges.

But Azmin is Anwar’s deputy in PKR, at a time when factions within the party are jostling for position as Malaysia waits for Anwar to succeed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister before the next general election.

Azmin has categorically denied being in the video and called it a nefarious plot to destroy his political career.

PKR leaders have also condemned it, urging an end to gutter politics.

Those behind the sex video are still unknown and police have said they will investigate the clip.

One thing that is notable is the systematic manner in which the lewd images and clips were disseminated.

Here is a recap of the scandal in the last three days

June 11

Journalists across different local media organisations found themselves added to WhatsApp groups that had been set up around 1am by unknown numbers.

Video clips and lewd photos of two men having sex, one of whom resembled Azmin, were posted to the group.

There were apparently several chat groups created where the videos and photos were disseminated.

In the group The Malaysian Insight reporters were added to, the administrator was one “Mariati”.

Malaysiakini reported that in the group its journalists were added to, creators of the chat group were identified as “Saifuddin Abdullah” and “Tian Chua”, who later denied that they had started the group.

Also posted to these chat groups were two photos that implied that Azmin has a personal Swiss bank account.

One photo resembled a transaction slip showing US$741,440 transferred from UEM Group Berhad to Azmin’s Deutsche Bank account.

The other photo is purportedly a personal bank information sheet to prove that Azmin had such an account at Deutsche Bank in Zurich.

Media reports on the sex video did not name Azmin. However, the video also went viral on other chat groups and social media platforms.

Umno supreme council member Lokman Adam lodges a police report over the sex video and also a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on the alleged bank transfers.

Azmin remains silent throughout the day. HIs officers do not entertain media requests for his comments.

Dr Mahathir is asked about the matter at a press conference after chairing an Economic Action Council meeting in Putrajaya. He says he does not know anything about the video.

June 12

At about 2.30am, a video is posted to the Facebook account of Santubong division PKR Youth chief Haziq Abdul Aziz, in which he confesses to being in the sex video with the other man whom he names as Azmin.

The 27-year-old Sarawakian is also principal private secretary to Deputy Primary Industries Minister Shamsul Iskandar Akin.

He says the video was taken in a room at the Four Points Hotel in Sandakan on May 11, the day of the seat’s by-election, and was filmed “without his consent”. He declares that Azmin is unfit to be a leader.

In the afternoon, Azmin breaks his silence with a statement denying the video and Haziq’s allegations.

The PKR deputy president said intimidation against himself and his family had begun several months ago, and that he would take legal action against those behind the sex video.

The PKR political bureau holds a meeting in the evening to discuss the video. Azmin, although a member, does not attend it.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, party president Anwar condemns the video as gutter politics and says Azmin remains as deputy president.

Anwar also said it would be up to Shamsul Iskandar to decide on what to do with Haziq.

However, the smear campaign against Azmin continues, with new WhatsApp groups created in the evening. More photos and a video of the same two men in bed are posted.

As with the first chat group, journalists’ phone numbers are added by strange numbers identified as “Mike Samuel Lim” and “Jamal Ahmad”. When journalists try to dial these numbers, the calls go to voicemail.

Also, UEM Group issues a press statement denying the veracity of the photos showing a fund transfer to Azmin’s account. The conglomerate says it has no such bank account.

June 13

The onslaught against Azmin continued today when the same Facebook account under Haziq’s name posted a statement claiming that he and Azmin had prior sexual encounters before the video purportedly taken in Sandakan on May 11.

The post that went up at around noon lists three prior occasions, with the earliest encounter at the Grand Continental Kuching three years ago.

The post also accuses Azmin’s political secretary Muhammad Hilman Idham of meeting Haziq to force him (Haziq) to lie and deny that the minister is in the sex video.

It is not clear if the post is genuine, as Santubong PKR chief Ahmad Nazib Johari has been quoted as saying that Haziq has denied being in the sex video of two men and also in the confession clip.

Haziq himself has not been reachable since the video of his confession was released yesterday.

Two hours after the Facebook post, Hilman admits in a press conference that he had met Haziq but declines to state the reason for their meeting, saying police will investigate further.

Hilman today lodged a police report at the Putrajaya police station and a “qazaf” (slander) report with the Federal Islamic Territories Religious Department.

Haziq, meanwhile, was suspended from his post as principal private secretary to Shamsul Iskandar, and has until tomorrow to answer a show-cause letter or be sacked.

Azmin, speaking to reporters at a Hari Raya event this afternoon, states that he only knew Haziq “from afar”.

Azmin also raises Haziq’s past involvement with Barisan Nasional before joining PKR after Pakatan Harapan won the 14th general election.

At about 5pm, the Facebook page under Haziq’s name posts copies of a police report he lodged against Azmin and to defend himself from accusations that he is lying about the sexual encounters. – June 13, 2019.