Sex video: Political battle lines drawn
By Athi Shankar, Free Malaysia Today
PERMATANG PAUH: The political battle line between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, or specifically between Umno and PKR, has been drawn over the sex video, allegedly featuring PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim.
While BN sets the argument that the main question over the sex video was to verify its authenticity, Pakatan’s argument is on whether the main actor was Anwar or not.
In the immediate future, both parties are surely expected to go to town with their respective cases, hoping to mould the voters’ mind to a particular perception.
This was evident from the arguments aired by Pakatan leaders during a PKR-organised road show themed “Siapa Dalang Fitnah” (Who were behind the lies) to counter the sex video scandal in Anwar’s parliamentary constituency Permatang Pauh last night.
“It’s not about whether the video was genuine or doctored.
“It’s all about whether it was Anwar or not.
“I believe that the person in the tape was not Anwar . . . I am sure about that,” thundered PKR’s fiery orator Badrul Hisham Shaharin when concluding the rally before some 2,000 people who braved heavy rain.
Badrul, or better known as Chegu Bard, has seen the sex clips twice continuously in Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
He was shown the tape by former Malacca Chief Minister and Risda (Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority) chairman Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik, businessman Shazryl Eskay Abdullah and another unidentified person.
Yesterday Prime Minister and Umno president Najib Tun Razak said the core question over the sex tape was whether the tape was authentic or not, because if it was genuine, a sin had been committed.
Johari’s four reasons
Earlier at the rally, Sungai Petani MP and PKR parliamentary deputy whip Johari Abdul, who had also viewed the video, insisted that the actor was definitely not Anwar.
“I can swear upon my late parents, it was not him (Anwar),” he said.
He gave four reasons to affirm his belief.
“The male actor has a belly, fair complexion, muscular and has more flesh on his bottom.
“All these are not features of Anwar,” he said.
In his address, DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng insisted that only persons of high esteem, not Rahim or MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek, should talk about political moral virtues.
He took a swipe at Najib for suggesting that Umno was not behind the latest sex scandal that had caught fire across the country.
“Rahim is an Umno member and Risda chairman.
“Umno still not involved?” he asked to the avidly responsive crowd,
Unlike the interrupted Friday night rally in Taman Melawati, Gombak, the Permatang Pauh rally went on smoothly despite rain and police massive blockade in all main roads leading to the venue.
The police checks caused massive traffic congestions along the roads.
The star of the show
The star of the show was of course parliamentary Opposition Leader Anwar, who surprisingly did not touch much on the sex video.
He had left the job to clear his name and image to his comrades like Chegu Bard and Johari.
