Police to question Malaysia's Anwar over sexual assault claim

AnwarIbrahim, in line to takeoverMalaysia'spremiership, will be called in forquestioningoverallegations that he hadsexuallyassaulted a former male aide,policesaid on Wednesday.

Anwarhas denied the accusation by the aide, Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, describing it as "politics at its worst".

Muhammed Yusoff is being represented by a lawyer who counts Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad among his clients. On Tuesday, Mahathir promised to handoverpower to rival-turned-allyAnwarin spite of the latest allegations against him.

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Muhammed Yusoff said last week thatAnwarhad attempted to force him to have sex in September 2018.

Policerecorded Muhammed Yusoff's statement on Monday, criminal investigations department director Huzir Mohamed said in a statement.

"Statements fromAnwarIbrahim and several related witnesses will be taken as soon as appropriate appointment times are set," Huzir said.

In a statement to media,Anwarsaid he was grateful topolicefor speeding up investigations into the "latest defamatory allegations" against him.

"I would like to stress that I am ready to give my statement to thepoliceimmediately to assist in the investigation."

Anwarhas spent nearly a decade in jail on two separate counts of sodomy and for corruption, charges that he and his supporters maintain were aimed at ending his political career.

Muhammed Yusoff's lawyer, Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, denied a conflict of interest in taking on a case against the prime minister's planned successor.

"The prime minister is still my client but that does not mean I should not take on cases just because they involve his ministers or people in his administration," Mohamed Haniff told Reuters.

"I did not speak to (Mahathir) before taking on this case, but we did talk about it afterward. He was surprised but he understood."

Mahathir's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mohamed Haniff denied charges of a political conspiracy in the allegations againstAnwar, saying Muhammed Yusoff stood by his statement.

"It's time to let thepoliceinvestigate," he said.

Same-sex acts are illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia and carry penalties of up to 20 years in jail if convicted.

A former deputy premier,Anwarwas first sacked and then jailed in 1999 during Mahathir's first 1981-2003 tenure as prime minister.

Mahathir andAnwarmended fences in 2016, joining forces to lead the opposition to an unexpected election victory last year.