THE Dewan Rakyat turned chaotic when a Bersatu MP claimed that he had been pressured and threatened multiple times to support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan claimed that if he had thrown support behind Anwar, he would have been offered RM1.7 million in allocations, among others.
He told the Dewan Rakyat that he was contacted numerous times by unidentified individuals, after which he agreed to meet them.
“The first meeting was on Jan 17, 2024, at the Westin Hotel in Bukit Bintang and the next meeting changed to the JW Marriott Hotel,” he said.
He said one of those who had approached him during one encounter was a friend whom he did not want to name.
“I was told that if I supported Tambun (Anwar) as Prime Minister, I would receive parliamentary allocations.
“Those concerned also told me that allocations for government projects could also be distributed to my cronies. They knew I was having a hard time, with my wife also having cancer,” he said.
He claimed he was again approached on the day the Dewan Rakyat recommenced (Monday, Feb 26).
"I was approached in the afternoon and they wanted to meet at Corus Hotel in Jalan Ampang. Then, at midnight, they called and wanted to meet at Saujana Subang.
“I agreed to these meet-ups as I was worried that they had power and they would do something unexpected to me,” he said.
He also pointed out that these attempts to sway his support came after he claimed trial to 18 charges of money laundering amounting to RM5.59 million in October last year.
His claims sparked an uproar among government MPs, with RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) urging him to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“If you’re a man, make a report to the MACC,” said Rayer.
“Don’t hide behind immunity in the hall. Hold a press conference outside. You are making false claims,” said Chong Zhemin (PH-Kampar).
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul then stepped in, saying that Wan Saiful’s claims were seemingly hearsay, and told him to refrain from raising the matter again in the house. - The Vibes, February 28, 2024