Anwar’s ex-staff files suit detailing explicit, shocking account of incident at Bukit Segambut home

A 28-year-old former staff of Anwar Ibrahim, who two years ago accused the PKR leader of sexually assaulting him, has filed a suit containing shocking and explicit details of the incident which allegedly took place about 10 days before the politician won the Port Dickson by-election on Oct 13, 2018.

Muhammed Yusoff Rawther said he had suffered serious trauma as well as physical, psychological and sociological disturbances as a result of the incident.

“Further, despite being a victim of sexual assault by a prominent figure, the plaintiff did not receive the support he deserved, due to the status of the defendant (Anwar) and in particular his status at that time as ‘prime minister-in-waiting’ as well as his image as a ‘reform icon’,” said the statement of claim filed by Yusoff’s lawyers at the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday.

“Instead of receiving support, the plaintiff has been demonised as purportedly being part of a plot to politically damage and/or ruin the defendant’s political career.”

Yusoff is seeking a court declaration that the PKR leader had committed the sexual assault, as well as general, exemplary and aggravated damages which include the cost of the therapy sessions he is currently attending.

The suit lists about a dozen lewd acts and utterances allegedly committed by Anwar.

In court documents sighted by MalaysiaNow, Yusoff, the grandson of the late prominent consumer rights activist SM Idris, said he was introduced to Anwar in person when the PKR leader visited his grandfather at their home in Penang on Sept 2, 2018, less than four months after he was granted a royal pardon for a sodomy conviction, cutting short a five-year prison sentence.

Yusoff said during that first meeting, Anwar had handed him his iPhone for him to key in his contact details, and offered him an opportunity to work with him.

“Approximately 20 minutes after the defendant left the plaintiff’s residence, the defendant sent a short message service (SMS) text to the plaintiff requesting the plaintiff to contact him via WhatsApp,” said the suit.

He said they then began communicating through WhatsApp, adding that the full contents of their conversations would be revealed at the trial.

Yusoff, who worked at Anwar’s bungalow office near Bukit Gasing, Petaling Jaya, where he was also given accommodation, said he did not receive any formal letter of appointment but was told to take instruction from chief of staff Abdul Rahman @ Abdul Manaf bin Abdullah.

He said his duties included conducting research on policy matters, preparing speeches, as well as handling correspondence with foreign dignitaries and business leaders.

Yusoff said he was tasked with preparing a speech for Anwar to be delivered at an event to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi organised by the High Commission of India at the Subash Chandra Bose Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 2.

On the day of the event, Yusoff said one of Anwar’s bodyguards drove him to the politician’s home after he was told by Shukri Saad, Anwar’s private secretary, to personally deliver the speech text to Anwar.

He said upon arriving, Anwar told him to come into the house for “further discussion” on the speech.

Yusoff said they then entered the study, where Anwar told him to put his bag down and signalled him to come closer.

He then listed in 16 points various acts of sexual assault allegedly committed by Anwar.

Some seven months later, Yusoff said he was assaulted by Anwar’s political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, which became the subject of a criminal investigation that Yusoff recently complained had taken too long.

Yusoff has filed a separate civil suit against Farhash seeking compensation for injuries, as well as against Anwar’s press secretary Tunku Nashrul Tunku Abaidah over allegedly defamatory remarks.

It is believed that a mediation process is ongoing between the three.

Yusoff’s statutory declaration in November 2019 and police report against Anwar was followed by weeks of investigation under Section 354 of the Penal Code which deals with criminal force to outrage modesty.

During investigations, police called both Anwar and Yusoff, the latter of whom agreed to take a four-hour polygraph test at Bukit Aman. Anwar meanwhile had refused to take the test.

On Jan 14, 2020, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), then under Tommy Thomas, said it would not press charges against Anwar due to “insufficient evidence” and “contradictions” of facts.

Three days later, Anwar said he would file a defamation suit against Yusoff over his Nov 19 statutory declaration, but later decided against it.

Anwar’s lawyer Ramkarpal Singh said the decision was because his client’s name had been “cleared” by the AGC’s decision, adding that a suit would take “a considerable amount of time and involve unnecessary costs”.