Statement by Anwar Ibrahim's family on porn clip

Statement by Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Nurul Izzah Anwar on behalf of the family of Anwar Ibrahim over the release of a pornographic clip targetting him.

Yesterday, the sex video that was first screened at Carcosa Seri Negara was shown in part on pro-UMNO websites.

Our family has been tested with many challenges since 1998. So many false accusations and aspersions have been cast onto the person of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Each accusation was no doubt a heavy burden, yet Datuk Seri Anwar had no choice but to wade through and overcome each and every disgusting, disturbing, and demeaning accusation.

Yet if we were to recall all these accusations, it is truly mind-boggling to imagine that Datuk Seri Anwar was guilty of committing each and every one of them, in which some accusations contradicted others.

In the case of this new video, our entire family made the decision to view said video.

The video is the clearest proof yet that for all those who truly know Datuk Seri Anwar, this new accusation is none other than a vile, false and baseless accusation.

Who else would know the man as intimately as us, his closest and nearest family members, who have been through thick and thin with him, from the moment he took in the mainstream leadership of this country through the dark days when he slowly recovered from all the pain he endured when he was imprisoned.

It is clear that the body and physique of the actor in the video is extremely different from the body and physique of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. This is strengthened by the fact that for over a year now Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been accompanied by his children whenever he exercises and undergoes physiotherapy as part of recuperative measures for his injured spine.

As such, our family holds the opinion that the spreading of this video is another example of the gutter politics that is patronized and valorized by UMNO-Barisan Nasional. We reject wholeheartedly this form of politics and call on Malaysians to be together with us in upholding justice and in the rejection of such politics. Let us together bring back the agenda for holistic reforms in the political, economic and social systems in our beloved nation.

We are reminded of Allah s.w.t.'s firman in surah Al-Buruj, verse 10: "Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and the believing women (by torturing them and burning them), and then do not turn in repentance (to Allah), then they will have the torment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the burning Fire."

In facing this attack on our family's dignity, we believe that goodness will cannot but arise just as falsehood cannot but fall. The distribution of this edited video coincidentally falls on 4th April 2011, which we are reminded is the 12th anniversary of the birth of Parti Keadilan Nasional which arose, again, out of the tumult of national politics.

These accusations comes from the greed for power, and a form of politics which has lost its moral compass. We must be civil yet critical of our differing viewpoints, but should never resort to personal attacks that defile and defame.

We hope that all Malaysians will not be trapped by these games of UMNO-Barisan Nasional, but instead forge ahead in upholding justice and the truth.

DATUK SERI WAN AZIZAH WAN ISMAIL (President, Parti Keadilan Rakyat)
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR (Vice President, PKR and MP, Lembah Pantai)
Family members of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim