Businessman close to Anwar offered me RM100 million to topple Barisan, says Anifah

Datuk Seri Anifah Aman says he was offered RM100 million by a close associate of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Zhafri Azmi, November27, 2014. 

Datuk Seri Anifah Aman today revealed that a businessman closely associated with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim offered him RM100 million to bring 10 MPs from Sabah to join Pakatan Rakyat and topple the Barisan Nasional federal government in 2008.

The foreign minister said he felt cheap when the offer was made by former KFC deputy executive chairman Datuk Ishak Ismail at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur Hotel.

The MP for Kimanis was, however, unable to recall which year or month the incident took place.

"I  warned Ishak not to ever repeat those words to me. I was angry because the offer was made to a three-term MP," he said when re-examined by his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Anifah said he had gone to the hotel to smoke cigar with two other MPs from Sabah who included Ronald Kiandee, who is now the Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker.

"Ishak approached me and made the offer and I was takan aback because I was committed to remain in the Barisan Nasional in the interest of Sabah state," he said.

Anifah was testifying in a defamation suit brought by the opposition leader against him in May 2009.
  
The foreign minister is alleged to have uttered defamatory words about Anwar during a news conference in Washington with former United States secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

He had told reporters that Anwar had offered him the post of deputy prime minister if he brought MPs from the state to tople the BN government which had won 140 seats in the 2008 general election.

In his statement of claim, Anwar alleged that Anifah's claims were baseless, unfounded and grossly negligent and had been widely reported in the local and foreign media.

Anifah said Ishak had previously made overtures to him to get MPs to cross over to PR to capture Putrajaya but he had refused.

"On that day he unexpectedly approached me at the hotel when I was there to smoke cigar," he said.

Earlier, when questioned by Shafee, Anifah said Anwar spoke to him on the same matter through the mobile phone of another businessman, Tony Bun, immediately after he had touched down at the then Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang.

Anifah said he had just arrived from Macau.

"Bun then told me that Anwar wanted to speak to me as I had influence over some MPs from Umno, Parti Bersatu Sabah and Sabah Progressive Party," he said.

Anifah, who was deputy minister from 1999 to 2008, said he refused the same position by then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after the general election.

"I was critical of the Cabinet appointments as Sabah was not given prominence. In fact, a leader from Selangor Umno was made senator and appointed minister," he added.

Anifah said he had in the past stated that there was no harm in party hopping if there was no fair distribution of posts.

"However, I had categorically stated that I was not crossing over," he added.

Anifah was made Foreign Minister after Datuk Seri Najib Razak took over from Abdullah in April 2009.

He said Anwar courted him because it was public knowledge that he had influence over about 10 MPs from Sabah and that they would follow whatever he did.

Anifah said even until today Anwar harboured hopes of becoming prime minister but did not have the political numbers.

"In order to change the government he must have simple majority. I was a target to achieve his ambition," he added.

In 2008, PR had 82 seats in the Dewan Rakyat while BN had 140 seats. Anwar was said to have approached 30 BN MPs to make the September 16 (2008) plan to topple the BN federal government a reality.

Cross-examined by lawyer Razlan Hadri Zulkifli, who is appearing for Anwar, Anifah said the alleged defamatory statement was meant to be off the record.

"It was meant exclusively for the audience at the press conference," Anifah said, adding he could not recall whether he had told reporters whether the statement could not be published.

The hearing before judicial commissioner Siti Khadijah S. Hassan Badjenid continues.

- TMI