Ex Anwar Ibrahim Aide Yusoff Rawther Seeks Asylum in UK Fearing for Safety
Ex-aide Muhammed Yusoff Rawther has applied for political asylum in London, citing intense safety fears following legal battles in Malaysia.
Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, the former research assistant who accused Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of a 2018 sexual assault, has fled to the United Kingdom to seek human rights asylum protection.
According to his lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, Yusoff’s passport is currently held by UK authorities in London. The decision stems from genuine fears for his safety and well-being in Malaysia following a series of highly stressful legal battles.
Yusoff Rawther
Yusoff previously filed a civil lawsuit against Anwar in 2021, which faces ongoing pre-trial delays. Separately, he spent over nine months in remand on drug and weapon charges before being fully acquitted last year. With the Attorney General’s Chambers appealing that acquittal, his lawyer maintains that Yusoff did not flee the legal process but is deeply traumatized by what he describes as "entrapment." If his UK asylum application is successful, he will not return to Malaysia.
Editorial