Anwar to be summoned as witness in suit over alleged assault by pol-sec

A defamation suit by a former research officer of Anwar Ibrahim will see the PKR leader subpoenaed as a witness in a trial to be heard at the Shah Alam Sessions Court in March next year.

Muhammed Yusoff Rawther is suing Anwar’s political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador over injuries suffered as a result of an alleged assault at the PKR president’s office in Petaling Jaya.

In February, Farhash failed in his bid to strike out portions of the suit that refer to Anwar.

The court also dismissed a similar request by Anwar’s press secretary, Tunku Nashrul Tunku Abaidah, to strike out similar parts in a separate suit that Yusoff has filed against him.

A police report by Yusoff against Anwar last year triggered a criminal investigation over allegations that the PKR leader had sexually assaulted him in October 2018.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers however said it would not bring charges against Anwar due to “insufficient evidence”.

In his suit filed early this year, Yusoff, 27, claimed that Farhash had assaulted him at Anwar’s office in Bukit Gasing, Petaling Jaya, in May 2019.

In December 2019, Yusoff questioned the police over the slow pace of the investigation, saying no action had been taken despite him furnishing a medical report on the injuries he sustained.

The report, sighted by MalaysiaNow, said among others that Yusoff had sustained injuries and a tear on his shoulder, and required surgery that would cost RM40,000.

Farhash has denied the allegations against him and filed a suit against Yusoff over the claims.

Early this year, police said they had reopened their investigation into the assault claims.

MalaysiaNow is attempting to get an update from the police as well as Yusoff’s lawyer, Haniff Khatri Abdulla.