ANWAR Ibrahim today dismissed a former staffer’s sexual misconduct accusation as an attempt to discredit him.

“I have seen the claim made by an individual named Muhammad Yusoff Rawther in the media and social media,” said the PKR president in a statement today.

“I reject such baseless slander.”

Yesterday, Yusoff said Anwar perpetrated a sexual offence against him at the latter’s home in Bukit Segambut last year.

Yusoff, a researcher at the PKR president’s office from September last year to May, said he detailed the incident in a statutory declaration, with evidence attached.

Party leaders dismissed his allegation, saying he is being manipulated into smearing PKR as it prepares for its annual congress in Malacca this weekend.

Anwar said he was campaigning for the Port Dickson by-election on the date the alleged incident took place.

“I attended an event to remember Mahatma Gandhi in Kuala Lumpur, and returned to Port Dickson to continue campaigning.”

He pointed out that his accuser’s family have issued a statement questioning the timing of Yusoff’s claim.

“This is clearly an attempt to destroy my image (in the lead-up to) the PKR national congress, and at a time when the (prime minister’s) succession plan is under way.”

He said his private secretary, Shukri Saad, will lodge a police report on the matter, and his lawyer, Ramkarpal Singh, will send a legal notice to Yusoff.

Anwar has twice been charged with sodomy, in 1998 and 2008. Both times, he denied the accusation against him as slander aimed at crushing his reputation.

The Federal Court, on September 2, 2004, overturned the conviction in the first case.

In the second case, Anwar was granted a pardon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shortly after Pakatan Harapan won the general election in May last year, allowing him to walk free after serving time since February 2015.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament building later, the Port Dickson MP said the latest accusation against him comes as no surprise.

He said he first heard about it some months back, adding that he foresees more attacks in the coming months.

“This is dirty politics. We will have to face this bravely and with the confidence to carry on with our agenda.” – December 5, 2019.