'Don't hijack dad's legacy': Children blast Anwar's presence at memorial for Yusoff Rawther's late grandfather

The children of SM Mohamed Idris have strongly condemned the organisers of a forum for inviting Anwar Ibrahim to officiate an event on the late Penang consumer advocate, stating they stand in solidarity with his grandson, Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, who is still awaiting his day in court over a sexual assault suit filed against the prime minister.

They said they had neither consented to the prime minister's presence nor to his name being published in a preface to a book on their father's life.

"The organisers not only disrespected the sensitivities of the deceased's heirs, but also chose to turn a blind eye to the injustice we are facing; something that is well known to the public," said Ayisha Idris, Fathima Idris and Khatija Idris in a statement issued just hours after Anwar addressed a forum and book launch in Petaling Jaya organised by the Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP).

They also accused CAP, the organisation their father founded and led until his death in 2019, of "serious moral failure" for inviting Anwar, adding that the event goes against everything the late Idris stood for, including his aversion to patronising politicians or seeking titles.

"CAP's actions today are a clear violation of those principles, exploiting the name and legacy of a principled man for the sake of current institutions and politics. This is not a tribute. This is a hijacking of our father's legacy," they said.

Following Idris's death, CAP's leadership was taken over by his brother Mohideen Abdul Kader, a lawyer who is also a staunch supporter of the PKR leader.

Yusoff has filed a civil suit accusing Anwar of sexually assaulting him seven years ago.

The suit was to have gone to trial in June, just days after Yusoff walked out a free man after spending nine months in jail following a controversial police ambush on his car in September last year.

Police claimed to have found illegal drugs and firearms in Yusoff's car, but the prosecution's case was undermined by bungling witnesses and contradictory testimonies, raising suspicions that the 32-year-old was framed by powerful individuals, as he had claimed in police reports naming Anwar and his former political secretary, Farhash Wafa Salvador.

The defence also focused on the way police ambushed Yusoff's car on Sept 6 last year, which happened just a week after he submitted the list of witnesses for the sexual assault suit.

Anwar has since applied for immunity from the suit filed by Yusoff, a move that sparked strong reactions from politicians and the legal fraternity, who described it as unprecedented and shocking.

On June 4, the High Court dismissed Anwar’s application to refer constitutional questions to the Federal Court in his bid to seek immunity from the suit. Anwar is currently appealing the decision at the Court of Appeal.

'Despicable'

Meanwhile, in their statement today, Idris' children challenged CAP's current leadership to live by the principles of justice their late father represented.

"CAP has an obligation to uphold the principles of justice, not support an individual who has attacked our family member and is now delaying the ongoing legal process," they said.

They said they have repeatedly made known their objection to Anwar's involvement in any event dedicated to their father's memory.

"However, our objections were completely ignored, and Anwar was still welcomed and given the main role to officiate the ceremony."

They also questioned the use of various government symbols and slogans in materials promoting the event, including Anwar's political branding "Malaysia Madani" as well as logos of unrelated official events such as the Asean Summit and Visit Malaysia 2026.

"Our late father was never associated with these initiatives or organisations. The use of these logos is clearly a form of commodification and exploitation of his name and services to strengthen Anwar's political image.

"This despicable method of gaining political advantage is highly reprehensible, as it gives a false impression that his legacy had consented to or was associated with current initiatives that have nothing to do with him," they added.