‘I categorically deny this vicious libel’: Malaysian minister Azmin Ali condemns gay sex video as attempt to ruin his reputation

Malaysia’s Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali claimed the video and accompanying accusations of corruption were the latest in a series of concerted attempts over the past few months to vilify him

He said his lawyers would take legal action against the culprits

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Malaysia’s Minister of Economic Affairs Azmin Ali. Photo: KY Cheng/SCMP

Published: 7:16pm, 12 Jun 2019Updated: 11:01am, 13 Jun 2019

Malaysia’s Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali rejected claims he was in a gay sex video that went viral earlier this week, and vowed to expose those behind the “abominable” allegations.

“I categorically deny this vicious libel upon me,” he said in a statement on Wednesday evening. “This is nothing but a nefarious plot to assassinate my reputation and character in an attempt to destroy my political career.”

Azmin claimed the video and accompanying accusations of corruption were the latest in a series of concerted attempts over the past few months to vilify him, but said the perpetrators would not distract him from planning and implementing “national development policies that are sustainable and inclusive”.

The minister said his lawyers would take legal action against the culprits, and that he trusted the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to act as necessary.

Azmin, who is deputy president of democracy icon Anwar Ibrahim’s People’s Justice Party (PKR), was implicated in a series of video clips depicting men that appeared to resemble a PKR member and him engaging in sexual relations in a hotel room.

Politicians from both sides of the divide condemned the gutter politics, urging Malaysians to refrain from viewing or sharing the video.

The minister’s daughter condemned the perpetrators on Twitter. Photo: Twitter

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