UTUSAN STEPS UP ‘BISEXUAL’ ATTACKS

By : SHANNON TEOH (TMI)

UMNO’S Utusan Malaysia continued today to question Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sexuality despite being threatened with a RM100 million suit by the opposition leader.

Its Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia, frontpaged Datuk K.S Nallakaruppan’s challenge to his former close friend to speed up legal action so he can expose Anwar’s alleged wrongdoings.

The Malay broadsheet also ran a half-page editorial backing the United Malaysian Indians party (MUIP) president’s claim, highlighting the Federal Court’s judgment in 2004 which said Anwar and his adopted brother Sukma Darmawan were engaged in homosexual activities despite overturning the Permatang Pauh MP’s sodomy conviction.

“To summarise our judgment, even though reading the appeal record, we find evidence to confirm that the appellants were involved in homosexual activities and we are more inclined to believe that the alleged incident at Tivoli Villa did happen, sometime, this court, as a court of law, may only convict the appellants if the prosecution has successfully proved the alleged offences as stated in the charges, beyond reasonable doubt, on admissible evidence and in accordance with established principles of law,” the judgment reads.

“There is no need for Awang to comment at length. Ponder the fact in the judgment of this case. What does it mean and who is Anwar?” the newspaper wrote under the Awang Selamat pseudonym used by its editors.

The editorial also said Anwar (picture) used legal action to as a way to silence critics from exposing his “moral wrongdoings.”

“Awang does not hesitate to conclude that Anwar sued these parties as an act, more so with an election soon. The fact is, he does not want the truth as he knows the risks to himself,” the Malay daily wrote.

Utusan Malaysia had highlighted a week ago the accusation by Nallakaruppan, once said to be Anwar’s “tennis partner,” that the former deputy prime minister was a bisexual.

The opposition leader, who aims to take over Putrajaya after an election that must be called by May next year, then said he would sue both the senator and newspaper for RM100 million if they did not retract the allegation.

But Utusan Malaysia instead referred to maverick blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin’s statement that the prime minister cannot be a homosexual.

“If you want to be gay, go ahead. I personally have no problems but if you want to become PM and be gay, in Malaysia you cannot,” the Malaysia Today editor said in a January 1 interview with Utusan Malaysia.

The newspaper added today “this is also the stand of the majority of Malaysians.”

“Anwar must decide which one is his choice.”

Anwar was acquitted in January of a second sodomy charge which he has said was politically motivated.

However, the public prosecutor has chosen to appeal against the High Court’s decision.