Politicians from Malaysia's Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), a constituent party of the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, have stepped up to urge the public to refrain from "gutter politics".

Party hit by gay sex scandal

Their calls came after a gay sex video allegedly featuring a male Cabinet minister went viral.

In the video, the alleged minister is seen behaving intimately with another man.

And so far, one Haziq Aziz, who was reported in local media to be a senior private secretary to Primary Industries Deputy Minister Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, has come forward to declare in a video "confession" that it was him:

Syed Saddiq: I was naïve to assume the days of dirty politics was behind us

On Wednesday (June 12) afternoon, Malaysia's Minister for Youth and Sports Syed Saddiq took to Instagram with quite a strongly-worded take on the scandal.

He said politics should be focused on making lives better, "not about sex and conspiracies", and that Malaysia deserved better. You can see the post below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bymp0MjFFgw/

Syed is a member of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, the party headed by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and another constituent part of the PH.

Nurul Izzah: Time to stop "gutter politics"

Also on Wednesday, PKR Member of Parliament Nurul Izzah posted this on Facebook:

Here's a translation of Nurul's post:

"Therefore: "As for those who love that indecency (adultery, shameful events, slander, evil) should spread among those who believe, for them there is a painful torment in this world and the Hereafter; and Allah knows, while you do not know."(An-Nur: 19)

Today is a sad day for Malaysia, when we are thrown into a dirty political culture once more.

On the contrary, news that should be prioritised are the issues and efforts to tackle the problems of the people and society.

The media coverage of personal attacks and defamation has no other purpose than to destroy individual names and characters, ending political careers, and degrading the dignity and reputation of the victim. We've long been disgusted by these obscene political games and slander. For the sake of the future generation, stop it.

That is why I feel full of empathy and sympathy for those who are persecuted by such vile politics. The negative effects of dirty defamation can not be underestimated as it profoundly impacts all involved, especially against the victim's family. I hope the ones being discussed are patient.

It is our responsibility to keep ourselves away from being caught up in this harmful, slanderous political culture. Focus on building a better Malaysia.

The manner of politics of civilised society is to raise discourse, ideas and policies, not personal attacks and character assassination.

Nurul Izzah Anwar

Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh"

Incident calls to mind Anwar's sodomy charges

In a separate post on the same day, she bemoaned how the "sordidness of gutter politics rears its ugly head again", bringing to mind the sodomy charges levelled against her own father, prime minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim, in the 1990s and 2000s which disrupted his political career.

Denouncing such behaviour, Nurul added that it has:

"...no other objective than to spell an end to the career, reputation and character of leaders utilising dirty and scurrilous personal attacks and fitna (slander)...

We must all unite in condemning such vileness and disassociate ourselves from propagating such filth."

 

PKR Secretary-General: Party rejects dirty politics

Separately, PKR Secretary-General Saifuddin Nasution Ismail posted an official statement from the party urging people to stop sharing the video.

In it, Saifuddin said such a style and manner of politics does not bring any benefit to society and the nation.

Here's a translation of his post:

"PKR REJECTS DIRTY POLITICS AND ARE COMMITTED TO CONSTANT DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY AND HELPING THE PEOPLE

1. PKR firmly rejects any form of dirty political game especially when the new government of Pakatan Harapan has been chosen by the people on the spirit of the reform agenda to help the people and develop the nation.

2. PKR urges that the spread of the video being transmitted and publicized is terminated immediately.

3. This style and manner of politics do not bring any benefit to society and the nation.

4. PKR as one of the Pakatan Harapan component parties will continue to focus on helping the federal government formulate policies and programs for the people.

DATUK SERI SAIFUDDIN NASUTION BIN ISMAIL

SECRETARY GENERAL

PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT (PKR)

12 JUNE 2019"

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Top images via Nurul Izzah/Facebook and Syed Saddiq/Facebook.