KUALA LUMPUR – Fireworks are expected when senior members of Malaysia’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) meet later on Wednesday (June 19), with vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin saying she will demand the sacking of a party member who is implicated in a homosexual sex scandal.

Mr Haziq Aziz, 27, claimed last week that he was one of the two men shown in a leaked video engaging in sex acts in a hotel room, and alleged his partner was PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, 54.

Datuk Seri Azmin, Malaysia’s Minister for Economic Affairs, has vehemently denied the allegations, which have rocked politics in the majority-Muslim country where sodomy and oral sex are outlawed and homosexual relations are deeply taboo.

Speaking to reporters, federal minister Zuraida said stern action must be taken against Mr Haziq, as he had tarnished the image of PKR, one of the four parties in the Pakatan Harapan alliance that governs Malaysia.

“Yes,” she answered, when asked at a news conference on Wednesday if she would push for Mr Haziq’s sacking. “Sex against the order of nature is a crime in this country,” she said, as quoted by Malaysiakini news site.

Ms Zuraida is a staunch ally of Mr Azmin.

The PKR political bureau, consisting of its senior leaders, is to meet from around 5.30pm, with the meeting expected to be chaired by party president Anwar Ibrahim.

The video scandal has increased tensions between the two rival factions in PKR – one led by Mr Azmin and the other by Datuk Seri Anwar.

Allies of Mr Anwar have said that Mr Azmin should step down while investigations over the video are being carried out by the authorities.

But Ms Zuraida dismissed this, saying: “Those who make such statements must be more rational.”

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