Johari Abdul to lodge report against Yahaya Ismail over book about Anwar

PETALING JAYA: Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul (pic) will lodge a police report against Yahaya Ismail over his book "Mengapa Anwar Tak Boleh Jadi PM" for allegedly defaming PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 

The senior PKR lawmaker said he received a copy of the manuscript on June 10 and added that it contains serious and defamatory allegations about Anwar. 

He explained that the contents of the book contained elements and insinuations of homosexuality, corruption and allegations of being an Zionist agent and an agent of the United States

"In the book, there are elements questioning the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for giving a full pardon to Anwar. The act not only questioned but also insulted the Malay royal institution," Abdul Johari told a press conference at the party headquarters here. 

However, he refused to divulge any further details of the book, until he lodged the police report. 

Abdul Johari said that the author also promoted a leader whom he believed should be the next prime minister. 

"I will only reveal the name of the leader once I lodge the police report. Any party is free to express their support for any leader to become the next prime minister, but by slandering Anwar, it is totally unacceptable and against the principle of freedom of speech," said Abdul Johari.

On May 16 last year, Anwar was released from jail after receiving a pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. 

Anwar was initially scheduled to be released on June 8, 2018, after his five-year sentence that started on Feb 10, 2015, but his sentence was reduced due to good behaviour.

In 2015, Anwar was sentenced to five years' jail after the Federal Court upheld his guilty verdict for sodomy.

He was initially charged in 2008 and was tried in 2010 and 2011 before being acquitted in January 2012.

However, in March 2014, the acquittal was overturned by the Court of Appeal.