PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has threatened to sue Utusan Malaysia for RM50 million for defamation unless the daily retracts its front-page report today which suggested that he had a pro-homosexuality stance.

In a statement today, PKR vice-president N Surendran said a letter of demand have been served on Utusan's parent company to demand the retraction and an apology.

Surendran was referring to the several reports in Utusan today, which carries responses to BBC's recent interview with Anwar, in which the issue of homosexuality was raised.

The Utusan report carried a full-page Q&A with former Selangor PAS chief Hasan Ali, in which he was asked by a reporter for his views on Anwar's purported comments to the BBC on a review of laws banning homosexuality.

To this, Hasan said Anwar's views on the topic was one of the reasons why he does not want to work with the ltatter and why Malaysians should reject him.

Surendran pointed out that in the same interview, although Anwar had responded to the query by stating that some "archaic" punitive laws needs to be reviewed, he never stated that homosexuality should be legalised.

"We, Muslim and non-muslim generally believe and are committed to support the sanctity of marriage between man and woman in Malaysia.

"We do not promote homosexuality in the public sphere and domain," Anwar told the BBC.

In view of this, Surendran said the Utusan article was malicious and defamatory to Anwar.

He adds that the report was also "scurrilous, politically motivated and gutter journalism of the lowest kind."

The letter of demand states that Utusan has 48 hours to comply, failing which legal action will be taken.


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