A big lie: The Anwar- Yusoff Rawther case

By Datuk Dr Siva Ananthan

SO, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is at it again. Not only is he sexually molesting men again, but this time also he is getting the cops, the prosecution and the judiciary to cover up for him and he is manipulating the appointment of judges to ensure this.

This is the narrative created and being canvassed in the media where PM Anwar is being subjected to – Trial by Media. It is no surprise that this is the narrative being employed because this has been the “fabula selecta” of the previous politically motivated accusations by his detractors.

In Mein Kampf, Hitler stated that people will, “more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one.” Anwar’s perceived homosexuality is part of the Malaysian “Big Lie”.

The logic behind the “Big Lie” is that while people may question the details of a small lie, they will more readily accept a big lie, especially one repeated often enough.

This is the reason for most people’s ambivalence regarding Anwar. This feeling of uncertainty lays us open to manipulation, sloganising and prescription which are part a praxis intended to deceive us into a predisposition about Anwar’s culpability.

The malignancy of the “Big Lie” is that it undermines the very basis assumption that protects the liberty of every citizen within a state – the presumption of innocence. This nefarious fabrication is affixed on the public by his detractors by amassing the considerable resources of social media in the hope that such allegations will be easily believed by the gullible masses.

I would urge caution and common sense give us pause for thought to reflect more carefully on these serious matters. Is there a possibility that this scheme is being orchestrated by political adversaries whose sole intention is to destabilising this government?

Let’s examine the facts.

History of Politically Motivated Allegations – Anwar and his family have been the victims time and again of this type of politically motivated callous and capricious attacks. Most of them have been calculated to coincide with momentous moments in his political career when he has been on the ascendency.

In 1998 when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad feared that Anwar was going to topple him, the first sodomy and corruption allegations surfaced, leading to Anwar’s conviction and imprisonment. Eventually the sodomy conviction was overturned.

In 2008, when Anwar led the opposition to major electoral gains, the second sodomy allegations surfaced resulting in another conviction. He was later pardoned by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong in 2018.

The recurrence of such allegations now as Anwar is making efforts to consolidate his reform agenda, suggests a recurring pattern of character assassination. This is not coincidental and in my view is a coordinated deliberate effort to undermine and derailhis leadership.

Yusoff Rawther’s Credibility and Motives – Just who is the accuser? His own uncle, Mohideen Abdul Kader, has questioned the credibility of a sexual assault claim made by his nephew, stating that he believed that his nephew was being manipulated by certain quarters to serve their own interests.

Especially so because his family members were totally unaware of the alleged incident. Mohideen said, “The incident is supposed to have taken place on October 2, 2018, more than one year ago. Yet none of our family members including his (Yusoff’s) grandfather, who was very close to him, was told about this alleged incident”.

Yusoff Rawther’s background as a political hack and inconsistencies in his own statements cast serious doubt on the legitimacy of his claims. His own narrative about the alleged incident has evolved over time, with inconsistencies in dates, locations, and details.

He also waited several years before coming forward, raising questions about his motives. If the incident was truly traumatic, why was there no immediate complaint? His sudden emergence with the allegations and the fact that he had not complained about this at the time of the incident cast doubts about his reliability as an accuser and aligns suspiciously with this period of political tension.

A credible accuser would provide a consistent, timely, and apolitical account of what happened.

Timing of the Allegations – The timing of these accusations is also highly suspicious, coming at a moment when Anwar’s administration is making significant progress in governance and reform.

This type of allegations often arise when political opponents seek to destabilise a leader’s credibility. When the allegations first surfaced, Anwar’s coalition was gaining momentum in implementing reforms and the opposition factions were struggling to regain political traction.

It was also the time when key policy decisions (e.g., economic reforms, anti-corruption measures) were being rolled out, threatening entrenched interests. The timing suggests a deliberate attempt to distract, delegitimise, or force Anwar’s resignation.

Lack of Corroboration – There has been no credible evidence or independent witnesses to corroborate his claims. Given the gravity of the allegations, the absence of verifiable proof suggests a potential fabrication.

The are no independent witnesses, third-party testimonies or forensic evidence to support his claims. Furthermore, he seems to have maintained contact with Anwar or his associates after the alleged incident. This contradicts his claims that he was traumatised by the incident. In my view serious allegations of this nature demand solid proof not mere speculation or conjecture.

Pattern of Smear Campaigns Against Anwar Ibrahim – Anwar has faced multiple legal and character attacks over decades, many of which were later proven to be baseless. This latest accusation fits a familiar pattern of using defamatory tactics to tarnish his reputation.

This recurrence should make us all think twice about the situation and ask the question - Who stands to gain if Anwar is weakened? Without question, all allegations of misconduct must be taken seriously and be investigated fairly. However, the media is not the place where this should take place.

We should end this Trial by Media and should exercise caution, demand thorough and impartial investigations, and keep our minds open to the possibility of political manipulation behind these allegations.

The cumulative evidence, the historical context, the accuser’s credibility issues, suspicious timing and lack of corroborating evidence, strongly suggests that these allegations are a deliberate attempt to frame Anwar.

Everyone deserves to be judged based on facts, not slander. We should reject Trial by Media because unverified allegations should not shape public opinion. Anwar, like any other individual, is innocent until proven guilty. Let us not become the victims of a big lie. – July 11, 2025

Datuk Dr Siva Ananthan is a former Governing Council Member, ASEAN Law Association