KUALA LUMPUR: One of the men who revealed a video recording of a tryst involving a man resembling Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is claiming that there has been an attempt to persuade him to retract his allegation against the opposition leader.
Businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah has claimed that he has been followed around, persuaded and offered money by several individuals.
Eskay's predicament was yesterday revealed by former Malacca chief minister Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik, who together with him and Perkasa treasurer Datuk Shuib Lazim, had released the sex video to members of the media at Carcosa Seri Negara last year.
Rahim said the individuals had tried to persuade Eskay to withdraw his statement over the video by simply inking his signature on a statuary declaration, which had been prepared already.
"He was told that once he signed that document, he can ask for any amount of money as a compensation. All he had to do is to provide his bank account details and the money will be channelled to the account, either local or foreign," Rahim said at a press conference here yesterday.
Rahim said Eskay, who was supposed to join him at the press conference, had backed out at the last minute because of security reasons.
He stressed that Eskay, Shuib and himself would not be influenced to retract their allegations against Anwar.
"We are not like some people who say something and then make a U-turn. Such people have no dignity and people do not respect them," he said.
Rahim, however, refused to reveal details of the individuals who were trying to persuade Eskay to retract his allegations against Anwar.
He also reiterated his earlier claim that Anwar was the man featured in the sex video.
"He (Anwar) had said if I repeat the claims, he will sue me. Now I am repeating this and I hope he will sue me. Then only I can go to court with the DNA and forensic evidence from local and South Korean experts, confirming that it is really him in the video," he said.
"But, if it's proven that it is Anwar in the video, then I will sue him for more than RM100 million," he added.
On March 20 last year, Rahim, Eskay and Shuaib had screened the video, to a group of media personnel.
Anwar had denied that he was the person recorded having sex in the video.
Three months later, Eskay and Shuaib were charged in a magistrates' court here for openly displaying an obscene film while Rahim was charged with abetting them.
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