He said police had initiated an investigation after a person telephoned the senator asking about the claim. Hamzah did not reveal who the caller was and whether it was the reporter who called.

He said the reporter, the senator and the bodyguard have been called in for questioning. “We will record statements from the other witnesses soon,” he told FMT.

Hamzah said that the deputy public prosecutor had directed the police to investigate the claim, which has been classified as criminal defamation.

Last week, Hamzah revealed that the senator had lodged a police report denying the claim, after receiving a call from a person seeking to clarify the allegation. Hamzah clarified that no police report had been lodged by the bodyguard alleging that he was forced to eat pork, contrary to such claims.

The bodyguard had since lodged a police report denying the allegation.