There are evidence linked to UMNO- Barisan Nasional’s attempts to “bribe and threaten Pakatan assemblypersons” to topple the Pakatan-led state government in Kedah, claimed Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Speaking at a speech on the Royal Address in Parliament today, the PKR de facto leader revealed Kulim assemblyperson Lim Soo Nee was “contacted by a BN agent representing Mahadzir Khalid” (UMNO- BN Kedah chairperson and former menteri besar) a month after March 8 general election. “He had persuaded Lim to defect from Pakatan to BN for RM4 million before it was raised to RM5 million. Secret meetings were also planned between Lim and Mahadzir together with the deputy prime minister (Najib Abdul Razak),” alleged Anwar.
Throughout April, May, June and July last year, Anwar further alleged that Lim was “laden with the offers and persuasion to jump ship”.
“What shocked me the most was Lim had reported the matter to the (then) Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and the agency had agreed to make Lim the ‘bait’ for the next arranged meetings,” claimed Anwar.
“Each and every meeting was monitored by the ACA and the highlight of the event was a meeting between Mahadzir and Lim in a hotel in Seberang Jaya end of 2008,” said Anwar, claiming that the event was recorded by a CCTV with the assistance from ACA.
Anwar stood his ground
“But there were no further actions by ACA after that. I was just informed the ACA agent who was in charge of the matter was later replaced with someone else,” he said. The temperature in the House then rose when a Barisan backbencher stood up in protest over the latest allegations.
Puad Zarkashi (UMNO-BN-Batu Pahat) said any meeting could be arranged between anybody and the CCTV recording could not prove anything to show the duo were indeed discussing the alleged matter. “Besides, have you seen the CCTV (recording) or not? Do you know what actually happened?” pressed Puad.
Anwar stood his ground, saying that he has yet to see the recording as it belonged to the ACA (now replaced by MACC) but “was informed by Lim according to the meetings he arranged with ACA”. In his speech, Anwar also alleged that Bakar Arang PKR assemblyperson Tan Wei Xu had once received threats from Mahadzir to lure him to defect to UMNO-BN.
“Tan had told me that he was threatened many times to defect and he got frustrated with Mahadzir for his attempts.So he told Mahadzir to stop such acts. The week after, he received three bullets,” claimed Anwar, while showing the picture of the bullets to the House.
Enough evidence to prosecute
Anwar, who is also Permatang Pauh MP said the evidence he has provided to the House “is enough for the police to prefer a charge and prosecute”.
Speaking at a press conference after delivering his speech, he said the police and ACA (now Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) have enough time to investigate the “evidence”. “This is enough for me to say to you now, that this is ample incontrovertible evidence to act and prosecute those responsible,” said Anwar. When asked why he had to wait until today to make the revelation, he replied: “We had to wait for the ACA to conclude their investigations”.
“During the last Parliamentary session, I did not have enough information about it. That is why I had to wait until it is complete. This is the earliest I could reveal to you now,” said Anwar, adding that he also asked permission to reveal it from Lim. He further said that the “defection series” had involved a “pattern of kidnappings, threats and bribes that involved UMNO leaders right to the top to the deputy prime minister’s office”,
“The pattern is so serious now. So I think I would advise our friends to record…when they start giving bribes, we have to report,” he said.
On a related matter, Anwar was also asked on the possible fall of Pakatan-led states in Kedah and Selangor through bribery as alleged by popular blogger and editor of Malaysia Today Raja Petra Kamaruddin in his latest blog entry. “I am concerned but I’m not unduly worried because V Arumugam (former Bukit Selambau assemblyperson), Tan and Lim had told me all about the attempts to bribe them,” he explained.
* Itulah bezanya cara UMNO/BN dan Keadilan. Keadilan guna kewarasan, kesedaran mahu berubah, bersama memperjuangkan hak rakyat. UMNO/BN guna wang,ugutan,paksaan untuk menarik wakil rakyat PR menyebelahi mereka. Golongan yang mementingkan diri sendiri sahaja yang terima tawaran UMNO/BN. Tak tahulah dah berapa banyak laporan polis dibuat ke atas kebejatan, skandal, salahguna kuasa, ugutan dan seumpamanya terhadap pemimpin UMNO/BN. Chegubard melalui blognya menyenaraikan 20 rasuah Khir Toyo tapi SPRM macam tak nampak.
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