By Amin Iskandar
KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — The latest sodomy allegations against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim by a pro-Umno blogger is the main party of the ruling Barisan Nasional’s (BN) attempt to divert public attention away from the various corruption scandals PKR has linked to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, PKR’s chief strategist said today.
Rafizi Ramli said this in reference to a blogger who yesterday published an unsubstantiated rumour that a police complaint had been filed by a varsity student claiming to have been sexually assaulted by the opposition leader.
The 35-year-old PKR man said the allegations were designed to deflect public scrutiny over a controversial tender award yet to be announced for the Ampang light rail transit (LRT) expansion project worth nearly RM1 billion.
“I take this as a signal the scandal (about the Ampang LRT) has basis and the PM himself is feeling the heat,” he told The Malaysian Insider today.
“The PM must take responsibility for this new defamation made in his name to save him from further corruption exposes,” he added.
Rafizi has repeatedly accused Najib, who is also finance minister, of interfering in the tender bid and granting the mega contract to George Kent, which had scored one of the lowest points in the technical and commercial evaluation for the project.
He has pledged to make the Ampang LRT extension contract a major campaign issue at the next general election but has yet to show solid proof to back his claim.
Anwar is currently away in Jakarta and The Malaysian Insider has not been able to reach him for comment.
Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin confirmed that police have not received any complaint from any undergraduate about the purported violation by the opposition leader.
“To date, we have not received any report,” the senior policeman told The Malaysian Insider when contacted.
