Writer who wrote book on Anwar says he did blackmail PKR chief
PKR president to let police deal with writer Yahaya Ismail over book
PORT DICKSON : Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar Ibrahim said he would leave it to the police to take appropriate action against an author who allegedly threatened to publish a book disparaging him if he was not paid RM400,000 (S$131,000).
Confirming the move by Mr Yahaya Ismail, the author of the book titled Mengapa Anwar Tak Boleh Jadi PM (Why Anwar Cannot Become Prime Minister), the Port Dickson MP said a police report on the matter had been lodged on Wednesday.
The report was made by Kedah PKR Leadership Council chairman Johari Abdul.
Mr Anwar was speaking to reporters after attending a Hari Raya Fellowship Dinner organised by the Malaysia India Business Council (MIBC) attended by some 200 guests on Wednesday night, reported The Star.
Mr Yahaya said his offer to sell the copyright of his book to Mr Anwar was the norm in the book publishing business.
He said: "As is done in the publishing business, I gave a copy to Johari and Anwar to read and asked them if they wanted to buy the copyright of the book. I put that price on the book as I knew it would be a bestseller.
"The book is my copyright, and I have the right to publish it myself.
"If I publish it, and Anwar or Johari later say I slandered, they can sue me. What is the problem?
"I do not work with gangsters who blackmail politicians who have been in prison twice. I am not a mercenary who writes. Check my bank account and see if anyone has paid me to write."
He added that if no one wanted to buy the copyright, he would publish it himself.
Mr Johari said he received the book manuscript on June 10 and lodged the report because the book was defamatory against Mr Anwar.
The senior PKR lawmaker said the book contained serious and defamatory allegations about the PKR president.
Mr Johari said the book had elements and insinuations of homosexuality, corruption and allegations of being a Zionist agent and an agent of the US.
"In the book, there are elements questioning the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the Malaysian king) for giving a full pardon to Anwar. The act not only questions but also insults the Malay royal institution," Mr Johari told a press conference.
He refused to divulge more details but said the author also promoted a leader he believed should be the next prime minister.
"I will reveal the name of the leader once I lodge the police report.
"Any party is free to express their support for any leader to become the next prime minister but to slander Anwar is totally unacceptable and against the principles of freedom of speech," he added.
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