KUALA LUMPUR – The political intimidation of MPs and coercing them into supporting the government remains due to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s lack of a parliamentary majority.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim asserted this, following charges levelled at Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman earlier today.
In a statement, Anwar said Perikatan Nasional leaders have consistently used whatever they can find within their arsenal to “bully” MPs into supporting them every time the spectre of Parliament looms, for fear of failing the confidence test.
He also questioned the timing of the charges and demanded that investigations into allegations of misconduct be transparent and professional.
“I am concerned that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) charges against Syed Saddiq fit a pattern of political intimidation that I and many others have raised concerns about recently.
“I have been informed by a number of MPs that the PN leadership has used bribery and intimidation to coerce them into supporting the failed PN government in exchange for lucrative positions and/or immunity from prosecution.
“I further demand that PN leaders, including the prime minister, cease this pathetic display of abuse of power and face the reality of their dwindling support in Parliament with some semblance of honour.”
This morning, Syed Saddiq was charged with criminal breach of trust for allegedly misappropriating RM1 million belonging to his former party Bersatu and for misusing RM120,000 in donations for the election, both charges he pleaded not guilty to.
He was released on bail and was ordered to surrender his passport and to report to MACC every month until his case ends. The court has set September 10 for case mention.
Crying foul over the prosecution of Syed Saddiq, Anwar urged for laws to be enforced objectively.
He said the country’s entire legal system would be meaningless if politically connected individuals and politicians in power can get off scot-free from charges while opposition members face selective persecution.
“This further undermines dwindling investor confidence in Malaysia as the country sinks deeper into a political quagmire caused by the illegitimacy of the PN government.”
The PKR president added that pursuing cases based on political dictates would only signal to would-be-criminals to deepen their political contacts and gain immunity from prosecution.
This is the second time Anwar has publicly condemned supposed intimidation by the government against opposition MPs by coercing them into switching allegiance.
In March, he had similarly claimed that the government is using the authorities to intimidate opposition lawmakers into discarding their loyalty to their parties and supporting PN.
The claim followed the resignation of a trio of PKR MPs earlier this year, with the highest profile name being Datuk Xavier Jayakumar, who before his switch was initially set to face corruption charges.
Meanwhile, election watchdog Bersih 2.0 said government institutions should not be pawns used to threaten and persecute opposition politicians and dissenting voices to the government of the day.
In a statement today, it said Syed Saddiq’s allegations are worrying and if true, tantamount to gross misuse of government regulatory and enforcement institutions.
“The gross abuse of state institutions, such as the MACC, the Malaysian police, the Inland Revenue Board, and the Attorney-General’s Chambers should not be tolerated as it undermines multiparty democracy, the equal playing field, and the rule of law,” said Bersih 2.0.
It added that the government is able to exert such influence over these institutions because the power to appoint and remove the heads of these institutions is vested in the executive, especially the prime minister.
Bersih 2.0 called for the reform of these institutions to make them independent of executive influence. – The Vibes, July 22, 2021
