Brushing aside calls to go on leave, Azmin says he'll carry on

KUALA LUMPUR: Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali has brushed off calls by certain parties for him to go on leave as authorities investigate a sex video implicating him and another man.

He said he would continue to carry out his duties as a minister and Pakatan Harapan leader in the wake of the scandal which has seen the police arrest Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz, on Friday (June 14).

Haziq claims he and Azmin were the men in the video.

"We must continue to deliver to the rakyat a mandate that is so huge (and) unprecedented for 60 years. They have been wanting for this change, and they did it in the last election.

"I remain focused on delivering as the Minister of Economic Affairs.

"I'm here to support the Prime Minister, and we will continue to move forward to deliver to the people," Azmin told reporters after a Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at Bukit Antarabangsa here Saturday (June 15).

On Friday (June 14), Otai Reformasi, a civil rights activist group, urged Azmin to take a break pending the police probe into the video.

Meanwhile, Azmin said he had not yet been called up by the police. However, he said his aide Muhammad Hilman Idham would continue to have his statement recorded on Monday (June 17).

"No (the police haven't called me yet).

"They have summoned my political secretary yesterday (June 14), and I was informed that they will continue with the investigation to record his statement on Monday," he said.

Azmin again dismissed the scandal as "gutter politics", saying he would leave it to the authorities to investigate and urged that there be no intervention.

On Wednesday (June 12), Haziq claimed that he and Azmin were the individuals in the video.

"To me, from day one, it was gutter politics, and I have made my statement clearly that I will not condone this.

"But since the report is there, let the authorities continue with the investigation and no one should intervene in the process," he said.

Azmin, who is the Gombak MP and Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman, said that he had been receiving an outpouring of support from his constituents in the wake of the scandal.

"You see, my people, my constituency know me very well.

They have been together with me. I'm happy to know that many people out there, they came forward and showed their support.

"They came to the house and I must thank them for the support," he said.