PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has welcomed yesterday’s High Court decision against blogger Papagomo, saying that it sends a strong signal against gutter politics.

He urged BN to stop encouraging bloggers like Papagomo (right in photo) and not to resort to gutter politics, instead engage in constructive political discourse.

“We welcome this judgment as it sends the strongest signal to those especially in Umno-BN who have always resorted to dirty, immoral and underhand tactics to undermine their opponents.

“This can been seen even recently when the Info Chief of Umno Ahmad Maslan threatened to unleash a ['sex and smut' ]campaign against (PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim) during the upcoming Kajang by-election,” he said in a statement today

Yesterday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found that former police officer Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris had maliciously defamed Anwar and ordered him to pay RM800,000 in damages.

He had been identified in another court case as the person writing under the name of  Papagomo, and was accused of putting up lewd images purported to be that of Anwar with another man.

Wan Muhammad has denied that he is Papagomo, saying he will appea the decision.

Azmin welcomes contest

On a different matter, Sinchew Daily quoted Azmin saying that he welcomes Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim’s decision to go for the deputy presidency in April’s PKR party polls.

However, according to the daily’s report via SMS today, he also reminded Khalid to focus on the March 23  Kajang by-election first to ensure a PKR victory there.

Anwar has announced his intention to contest there.