PKR MP Sivarasa Rasiah charged that the now-confirmed authenticity of the video by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar did not change anything about the scandal.
“The offence being investigated is possession and distribution of pornography... why are you focusing on authenticity?
“The Datuk T trio should have been charged from the moment they admitted to being responsible for airing it... the video being authentic does not change the scenario on whether they should be charged or not,” Sivarasa told The Malaysian Insider.
Sivarasa, who is a PKR lawyer, said the police investigation so far proved that there has been a “politically-motivated” attempt to smear Anwar’s credibility.
The Subang MP’s stinging remarks were a response to the announcement made by the IGP earlier today.
Ismail said the sex video that allegedly features a prominent opposition leader having sex with a Chinese prostitute was not doctored.
However, he declined to reveal the identity of the man in the video.
The IGP said local experts confirmed the video was not doctored.
Ismail said the special team investigating the case was in the closing stages of the probe and the investigation papers would soon be handed over to the Attorney-General for further action.
“An obscene video is an offence whether or not it is authentic,” said Sivarasa today.
Stating that the IGP’s announcement came as “no surprise” to PKR, he said the party already had two theories in mind — either the video was doctored or otherwise.
“Now that the IGP says it is authentic, that is fine. The person in the video may look like Anwar but it is not him, that is guaranteed… he has already in the beginning issued a strong statement on this,” said Sivarasa.
Police set up a team to investigate the case after Anwar, who denied that he was the man in the video clip, had lodged a police report last Tuesday.
The video recording emerged on March 21 when a mysterious man who only identified himself as “Datuk T” screened the recording for selected members of the media.
Former Malacca Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik, businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah and Perkasa treasurer-general Datuk Shuib Lazim later admitted to being collectively known as “Datuk T”.
Opposition Leader Anwar has denied that he is the man in the video after it was alleged that the recording was of him having sex with a Chinese prostitute.
The PKR de facto leader also claimed that it was a political ploy by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to tarnish his credibility.
At least one PKR lawmaker has also claimed that the “Datuk T” trio had showed him the sex video and tried to entice him to defect.
However, Umno leaders have repeatedly denied any involvement and insist that its former Youth chief Abdul Rahim was acting on his own.
Umno president Najib said the public should focus on who the man in the video was and not speculate on whether his party was involved.
Hishammuddin, who yesterday said that arrests have yet to be made in relation to the video, is also reported to be preparing to sue Anwar for his claims.
“Datuk T” said that the 21-minute black-and-white video was taken from closed-circuit television camera recordings found in a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur on February 21.
The footage shows a man resembling Anwar receiving oral sex from a woman with East Asian features before he has sex with her in several positions.
The scandal is the latest in a string of sexual allegations against the embattled Permatang Pauh MP, who was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad before being charged and convicted of sodomy.
Dr Mahathir, who was then prime minister, has also alleged in his recently released autobiography that Anwar propositioned at least four girls for sex while still in the government during the 1990s.
Anwar is now facing a second sodomy trial after being accused of sodomising Mohd Saiful Bukhair Azlan, a former male aide. The trial is ongoing.
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