KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the controversy over his remarks about the Malay Dignity Congress was exaggerated.

He said the claims that he used the word "barua (lackey)” instead of "maruah (dignity)” were the hallmarks of idiocy.

"That is what we call stupid politics. Clearly, I was joking with PM and Mat Sabu to raise their spirits after the dignity (congress),” he said, referring to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu.

"This is all a trivial matter,” he told reporters in the Parliament lobby today without confirming which word he used.

In the clip recorded at the tail end of a Pakatan Harapan press conference on Monday, Anwar is heard joking with Amanah president Mohamad that Dr Mahathir appeared reinvigorated by the congress.

When met by reporters today, Mohamad said he could not confirm which word Anwar had used in his comment as he had been too far away then.

"I am not sure the words he (Anwar) said. (You) Have to ask Anwar,” the minister said.

Anwar did not attend the congress on Sunday as organisers only invited him last week after it was noted that he had not been asked to attend.

The PKR president said he already had programmes arranged in his Port Dickson constituency by then.