Tun Faisal, the spokesman for the Selamatkan Malaysia secretariat committee, said the government had arrested citizens who used a specific slur word to describe Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The police report was lodged against the home minister, the communications and digital minister and their respective secretaries-general, and the chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

Tun Faisal said to use the slur word in reference to Anwar was not unlawful because the Federal Court had upheld the prime minister’s second sodomy conviction and sentence in February 2015.

Meanwhile, Anwar has maintained his royal pardon exonerated him of all charges and thus the slur word is unfounded.

“Radzi Jidin’s claims were not fictitious or an accusation. Anwar was found guilty by the court after a long investigation process through scientific evidence.

“The term was a fact and speaking out using factual information is not a crime or an act that needs to be investigated.

“We view the investigations over those who have used the term against Anwar as a form of abuse of power,” Tun Faisal said after lodging the report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters today.

On Sept 20, the council of political aides to government MPs demanded that PN’s Radzi should be suspended over the latter’s “rude behaviour”, which saw him booted out of Dewan Rakyat.

This came after Radzi was ejected from the Dewan Rakyat by Speaker Johari Abdul after getting into a shouting match with government backbenchers. His removal resulted in a walkout by opposition MPs.

In response, Tun Faisal said the council’s request to suspend Radzi disregarded an MP’s legal immunity during parliamentary debate.

Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali, who was also present at the press conference, said the council’s action was “unbecoming” as they failed to understand parliamentary privilege.

“Those who spoke against Anwar have been harassed by the police and we view this as an intimidation by the government,” he said.