KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has yet to identify the owner of a mobile number allegedly used to entice three DAP lawmakers to jump ship in its initial investigations.
The MACC has met the three DAP MPs who alleged that they were offered inducements and positions in in exchange for them supporting the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
In a statement today, MACC said it is taking the matter seriously and is investigating the allegations made by the opposition lawmakers.
The anti-graft body added that it is taking the matter seriously and will investigate the matter further.
While MACC did not reveal the names of the three lawmakers, Pakatan Harapan (PH) alleged that at least seven of its MPs have been offered positions and inducements in exchange for their support of the PN government.
Earlier, Perak police submitted a report to MACC after the private secretary to Ipoh Barat MP M. Kula Segaran went to the authorities over the matter.
Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said the report was lodged at 1.56pm on Saturday.
“The report is related to a message suspected of containing elements of corruption which came from two unidentified telephone numbers at about 10.30pm on Friday. Two other reports were lodged in Kedah and Penang on the same matter,” he said in a statement today.
He said police had forwarded the report to Perak MACC for investigation and further action, and advised the public to not speculate on the case.
However, the anti-graft agency did not reveal the names of the three DAP lawmakers.
Yesterday, the PH presidential council said that aside from Kula Segaran, the MPs who alleged being offered inducements were Cha Kee Chin (Rasah), Khoo Poay Tiong (Kota Melaka), Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (Kulim Bandar Baharu), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa), Azman Ismail (Kuala Kedah), and Chan Ming Kai (Alor Setar).
On Saturday, Kula Segaran said in a statement that one of his officers received a “random call followed by WhatsApp messages” from an unidentified party offering him money, a ministerial position and other incentives in exchange for him to support the PN-led government.
His secretary, Jeremy Chuah, then lodged a police report on the matter.
Meanwhile, Khoo and Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii also made similar allegations.
Apparently "our worth" is calculated in durians now....
— Kelvin yii (@Kelvinyii88) August 7, 2021
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Yii took to Twitter to share a screenshot of WhatsApp messages from an unknown number which pointed out that two ministerial positions were vacant following Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah and Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad’s departure from their respective positions as energy and natural resources minister, and higher education minister.
Balik Pulau MP Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik also shared how he was confronted by a mysterious caller with an unknown number aking for him to cross over to the ruling PN coalition, with a promise of a full ministerial post.
The Penang PKR chief added that the caller implied that it was a “durian” initiative. – The Vibes, August 9, 2021
