PKR MP: I was offered RM5m to jump ship

PKR Indera Makhota MP Azan Ismail reveals that there was an attempt to entice him and other PKR MPs in 2010.

UPDATED

KUALA LUMPUR: A PKR leader claimed today that there was an attempt in 2010 to buy over several PKR MPs by a “respected figure” who “used to hold a high station in government”.

Indera Makhota MP Azan Ismail told a press conference that he was offered more than RM5 million at a meeting in a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 27 that year.

But he said he had enough integrity to reject the offer.

Azan refused to divulge more details about the person and the meeting. He said he needed time to prepare a complete script of his revelation, which would possibly include visuals.

His statement today was the latest follow-up to Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad’s so-called mini-series of videos on alleged attempts by Barisan Nasional, particularly Umno, to buy over opposition MPs.

In the past two weeks, Khalid has shown parts of a video clip that he said showed two “BN agents” attempting to strike a deal with a couple, said to be representatives of a PKR MP.

Khalid claimed that the video, shot in 2010 as well, depicted part of an attempt to buy at least 15 opposition MPs, mainly from PKR.

He claimed the agents offered an MP a sum of RM2 million as well as government contracts as inducement.

Khalid said the revelation by Azan, whom he described as a “star witness”, was separate from the happenings shown in the video.

‘Dramatic exposé’

Azan said the attempt to buy him over was done in a systematic and orderly fashion, indicating to him that the funders were from a big organisation.

“The amounts offered were far above the capacity of a small organisation,” he said.

“I believe these activities will happen again right after the 13th general election. We must take this as a lesson. We must reject such things. I ask our leaders not to be swayed and enticed.”

Pressed by reporters to reveal more details, he said he was not ready but was nevertheless in possession of enough evidence to make a “dramatic” exposé soon.

“I have to put together the real sequence – every minute and hour,” he said. “We will put up visuals. Maybe, Insha Allah, there will be a video.”

Asked why he was coming out only after more than two years, he said the need to tell everything did not arise before.

Khalid told reporters the reason for his series of exposé was that the general election was near and the voting public needed to decide on the kind of people they would elect as leaders.