THE circulation of sex tapes is a nasty political trick that no longer holds sway among voters, said dozens of Port Dickson residents who showed up last night to show support for their MP Anwar Ibrahim, who was himself the victim of two of the country’s most explosive sex scandals.

Most voters who spoke to The Malaysian Insight at the sidelines of a Hari Raya event organised by Anwar last night said they believed that the recent sex clip purportedly involving PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali with PKR Santubong youth chief Haziq Abdul Aziz was pure slander.

“It’s slander, I don’t believe that Azmin is involved. We know Malaysian politics is like this,” said Mohd Khuwarizmi Jamaluddin, 27.

“These days, people can make up all sorts of things. Azmin is not like that and the viral video is nothing but a political ploy,” said 44-year-old Sabri Ahmad.

“Azmin’s political career is being threatened by such lies. I think it has to do with PKR (infighting), maybe this is to destroy his political career.”

More than 20 years ago, PKR president Anwar was cast into the spotlight when his former mentor Dr Mahathir Mohamad fired him as his then-deputy.  Anwar was jailed six years and nine years for corruption and sodomy, respectively. He was released in 2004 after the Federal Court overturned his sodomy conviction.

In 2008, Anwar was arrested again and put on trial for allegedly sodomising his aide Mohammad Saiful Bukhari Azlan. After the Appeal Court overturned his acquittal, Anwar was jailed in 2015 until he was released last year on a royal pardon following Pakatan Harapan’s win in the general election.

During the Hari Raya event last night, PD voter Anuwar Abani from Teluk Kemang said PKR members and the people were generally sick of the constant use of sex as a tool to smear and malign.

“Only Allah will know whether the video is genuine. Such things have gone on for too long and we’re sick of it,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“PKR leaders refuse to learn from the past. It was Anwar’s scandal, now it’s Azmin’s. We the grassroots are tired of it. Malay people are sensitive about such issues,” he said.

Anuwar said the sex clip had damaged PKR’s reputation, adding the video was the result of the internal strife between opposing camps in the party. l

He also noted that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad appeared to show Azmin favouritism.

“In Anwar’s case, he was quick to fire the deputy prime minister even before Anwar was put on trial.

“But now if you look at (what is happening in) Azmin’s case, it looks like there are some double standards here.”

Ropiah Puteh, 66, said the people were aware of the infighting in  PKR, but had hoped that Pakatan Harapan leaders would remain focused on bringing change to the country after taking over power.

“PKR infighting has been going on for a long time but it has always been under control. Now that this video has gone viral, everything is out in the open,” she said.

“We’re sick of it. They should be using their five years in power to fix the economy instead.

“But no, they are still going on the same road, doing the same things. This is slander.

“We fear that PH will only hold on to power for a short time. It’s been barely two years and the issues are already never-ending.” – June 16, 2019.