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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday (October 16) that it is not the duty of the police to obtain the list of MPs who back him to form a new government, after he came out of an interview with Bukit Aman.
He also clarified that he had submitted letters from backing party leaders during a meeting with the king earlier in the week, and not a list containing the members of Parliament (MP) who are with him.
Speaking to reporters, Anwar said: “The six cases against me basically asked for the names of my supporters to be revealed.”
“I told them (the police) that I had already given them the verification letters from the president of each party who represented their parties before the king. I told them that it is my duty to present (the letters) to the king and it is not the duty of the police or the Interior Minister who ordered the police to obtain the names, ”he said.
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He added that the content of the letters is between him and the king.
“I am not here to cooperate with the political masters to obtain or give their names because it is not their business. It is between me and His Highness the King, ”he said.
He also said that it was an episode of “political harassment”.
Mr. Anwar’s attorney, Ramkarpal Singh, said he is being investigated under Section 505B of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Multimedia and Communications Act.
If convicted of Section 505B, the offense carries a prison term of up to two years, a fine, or both.
As for Section 233, offenders are subject to a fine not to exceed RM50,000 (US $ 12,000) or a prison term not to exceed one year or both. The culprits are also subject to an additional fine of RM 1,000.
On September 23, Anwar claimed that he had the support of more than 120 MPs, adding that the Perikatan Nasional government headed by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had fallen.
Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim and Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah pose for photos before their meeting at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur on October 13, 2020 (Photo: AFP / National Palace of Malaysia / Handout)
After his meeting with the king on Tuesday, he had said that the monarch would ask party leaders to provide information and confirm the documents presented by the president of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
However, Istana Negara said Tuesday that Anwar did not present a list of the names of his backers during the royal hearing.
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Mr. Anwar said on Friday: “In my statement (Tuesday), if you remember, I said that I submitted letters and documents. I never said names were submitted.
“For Parti Keadilan Rakyat, as President of PKR, I said that 38 members hereby present their support for Anwar. I never said names. “
When asked about a timeline on when he would present the list of names to the king, he said “it has not been mentioned, but it is being managed.”
