KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — Datuk Seri Azmin Ali today said no one should be subjected to gutter politics after prosecutors decided not to pursue charges over the sex videos in which the PKR deputy president was implicated as the minister involved.
Earlier today Attorney General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas said forensic investigators could not positively identify the two men involved in the sex videos which first surfaced on June 11, 2019 when they were leaked to many members of the media through WhatsApp groups.
Thomas said he had accepted the expert's recommendation and have decided not to prosecute any person.
Responding to the investigation outcome, Azmin in a statement said: “I have consistently maintained from the beginning, this fitnah video is nothing but a nefarious plot to destroy my political career but whilst those intent on this vile scheme may plot and conspire, I had no doubt that justice will be done.
“So, all praise be to Allah SWT for letting the light of truth prevail over the darkness of evil and even as I am fully vindicated, I do pray that no one will again be subjected to this type of gutter politics.”
Azmin also expressed gratitude to his wife and children for their unconditional support and for standing by him.
“I am also profoundly grateful for the strong and consistent support from friends as well as the public at large, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
“Last but not least, let us put a stop to the politics of slander, character assassination and smear campaigns and instead engage in constructive discourse on issues, ideas, the well-being of the people and nation-building,” he said.
Earlier today Thomas explained that video forensics investigators in the US fared no better than Cyber Security Malaysia, which previously told the police that it could not conclusively establish the identities of those shown in the video.
Thomas said the US investigators also said the poor resolution and quality of the videos as well as the “relatively few number of video frames in which the suspect is clearly visible” prevented them from using facial analysis to identify those shown.
“In these circumstances and upon reviewing evidence as presently gathered and submitted by PDRM to this Chambers, my deputy public prosecutors unanimously recommended to me that no charges be proffered in connection with the videos,” he was quoted saying.
The Attorney General’s Chambers and the police have been under pressure to provide public updates on the case after the deputy inspector-general of police said the US forensics analysis would be ready by the end of last year.
In June 2019, former Santubong PKR Youth chief Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz accused Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali of involvement in the video.
Haziq and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak were arrested and questioned over the matter.
Azmin has denied involvement in the sex videos and previously threatened to sue Haziq.
Separately, Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam had the clips independently analysed and claimed that positive identification was possible.
He was later arrested after he accused the inspector-general of police of covering up the investigation.
