KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s statement was recorded earlier this afternoon by the police as part of their investigations into the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council’s joint statement issued on January 12.

His counsel Ramkarpal Singh said Anwar is being investigated under the Section 505(b) of the Penal Code and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998’s Section 233.

Section 505(b) refers to the making, publishing or circulation of any statement with intent to cause fear or alarm to the public, while Section 233 is for the improper use of network facilities or network services.

"The statement was taken at the PKR headquarters in Merchant Square, Petaling Jaya, at approximately 3.30pm and lasted approximately an hour,” he said in a statement.

Ramkarpal was also present during Anwar’s statement recording session.

In the presidential council’s statement the coalition had rejected Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s explanation of needing to counter the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country as a valid reason to declare an Emergency and suspend Parliament and elections.

The council claimed Muhyiddin sought a temporary respite so as to consolidate his power and to avoid elections.

They argued that existing laws including the movement control order would have sufficed in handling the pandemic, adding that suspending both the federal and state legislatures is tantamount to obstructing democracy and stifling the voice of the rakyat.

Earlier that day on January 12, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to the declaration of Emergency as a proactive measure to curb Covid-19 from spreading. The Emergency is set to last until August 1 or at an earlier date if the infection rate has been kept under control for some time.