PAKATAN Harapan’s victory in the 14th general election shows that it has the wherewithal to weather the current sex-video scandal, said the coalition’s chief secretary, Saifuddin Abdullah.

This is because the scandal, reminiscent of the kind of gutter politics played out regularly during the Barisan Nasional era, was nothing compared with the stiff odds it faced during GE14.

“(PH) is the only political coalition that has ever won a general election without even being registered. So, I am confident it will survive this current crisis,” Saifuddin told The Malaysian Insight.

The ruling coalition is experiencing its most serious scandal yet as the sex clips threaten to engulf Economics Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali, who has been implicated in the affair.

The scandal has worsened the rift between Azmin, who is PKR deputy president, and party president Anwar Ibrahim. PKR is PH’s largest party by number of parliamentary seats.

Azmin has repeatedly denied being one of the two men in the video. A forensics analysis was also unable to determine the identities of the individuals in the clips.

Despite this and his repeated denials, calls have grown for Azmin to either step down or be removed from his cabinet position.

Saifuddin told The Malaysian Insight that the spirit and camaraderie between the four PH parties and its top officials remain high. PH comprises PKR, DAP, Bersatu and Amanah.

“There is a solid understanding between the four parties and the relations between the top leaders in PH are as good as ever,” said Saifuddin, who is also foreign affairs minister.

“It is perhaps better now because we meet more frequently, either in our capacity as ministers or at the monthly (Pakatan presidential council) meetings,” Saifuddin said in a special TMI segment called Menteri in my MyVi.

He hoped the police would wrap up their investigations quickly and reveal the findings to the public.

This is especially so since rumours have spread that the scandal was perpetrated by those in PH after several of its activists were detained for questioning.

Among those held was Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, Anwar’s political secretary. 

“If it came from inside, it is a great injustice because the people have such hopes for Pakatan,” said Saifuddin.

“All of us in Pakatan believe in clean, fresh politics. We are all reform-oriented and this should not come from inside.” – July 31, 2019.