KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla has dismissed the latest conspiracy theory claiming he is acting as a go-between for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and a former PKR researcher to destroy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political career.

In a late-night post, the lawyer who has acted for the prime minister’s private litigation cases and is currently representing Anwar’s accuser, Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, explained why he took on the latter’s case.

"As practising lawyers, we cannot refuse to take a brief from any client on any matter except in exceptional situations,” he wrote on his Facebook page at about midnight.

Examples of those "exceptional” cases he gave were conflict of interest or situations which may cause the lawyer public embarrassment due to personal interest.

He said there was no such reason that would disqualify him professionally when he took up Yusoff’s case, which was why he did not reject his client.

"The fact that I am appearing for Yusoff out in front [makes it] crystal clear that Tun M cannot, therefore, be behind this matter at all.

"Otherwise, it is a big giveaway for me to be in the forefront, is it not?” Haniff asked.

He laughed off the suggestion of a plot to cause Anwar’s downfall and suggest the conspiracy theorists submit their idea to a film studio.

"Perhaps these people should put their theories to work through movies for them to earn good money,” he wrote.

Former PKR staffer Yusoff recently signed a statutory declaration accusing the PKR president and prime minister-in-waiting of sexual impropriety said to have taken place at Anwar’s Segambut house in October last year.

Anwar has vehemently denied the claim, saying he was in Negri Sembilan at the time campaigning for the Port Dickson parliamentary by-election that he subsequently won.

Yusoff, the 26-year-old grandson of consumer rights pioneer, the late SM Mohamed Idris, was questioned by the police for about nine hours yesterday.

The case is being investigated under Section 354 of the Penal Code for sexual assault.

Malay Mail understands Yusoff is expected to return to Bukit Aman later today for his statement to be further recorded.