KUALA LUMPUR – A government backbencher has suggested that Putrajaya take legal action against the opposition for failing to lodge a report with police or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over alleged bribes to support the government.
R.S.N. Rayer (Jelutong-PH) pointed to Section 25 of the MACC Act on how any person to whom gratification is given, promised or offered in contravention of any provisions in the act shall report such instances to the MACC or police.
“Opposition leader (Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin) (Larut-PN) claimed that opposition MPs received offers of projects and such if they are willing to back the government,” Rayer said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
“According to the law, failure to report such offers is an offence. The claims have caused a negative perception of the government.
“For how long will the government remain quiet on this issue? We should order an officer from the Prime Minister’s Department to lodge a police report (and) file a criminal defamation lawsuit against the opposition leader if (Hamzah’s) claims are proven to be baseless.
Rayer said this in a question to Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor-PH), who was delivering his winding-up speech on Budget 2024 at the committee level.
It was previously reported that Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (Besut-PN) and Datuk Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail (Kubang Pasu-PN) had claimed they were offered projects in their respective parliamentary constituencies in return for their support of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership.
Speaking at a Perikatan Nasional (PN) press conference on November 3, Zulkifly said he had received an email with details of an offer to develop a 40-room hotel with a swimming pool as well as a grocery store.
Ku Abd Rahman said he had received a message via WhatsApp from an individual offering a hotel development project, following which he opted to block the contact.
Also present at the press conference was PN secretary-general Hamzah, who, when questioned on whether a police report has been made over such offers, said the opposition was currently gathering more information first.
Ramkarpal told the lower House today that should both MPs have information on the bribery attempts, they should bring it to the MACC for it to carry out investigations.
On November 3, PN component party Bersatu suspended the membership of its lawmaker, Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar-PN), for a four-year period after he publicly expressed support for Anwar’s leadership on October 12.
He cited ongoing complaints from his constituents and emphasised the pressing need to address the rising cost of living in his constituency as reasons for his stance.
In addition to Iskandar, another Bersatu lawmaker, Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan-PN), has also expressed support for Anwar’s leadership.
He justified the decision by highlighting the various challenges faced by the island’s people, including the escalating cost of living and issues related to water and electricity supply. – November 6, 2023