PH ‘too busy’ to go on a smear campaign

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan representatives have denied an allegation that the coalition is behind a campaign to tarnish the reputation of a senior Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer who is said to be having an extra-marital affair.

Referring to MACC advisory board chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, who made the allegation, PPBM supreme council member Tariq Ismail said: “Is he suggesting opposition politicians have nothing better to do than to go on a smear campaign?”

He told Tunku Aziz to consider the possibility that Barisan Nasional members were behind the campaign since “many from that side are being investigated” for corruption and “they like to conjure up conspiracy theories and sex videos.”

Tunku Aziz was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying: “Obviously, they are starting to feel the heat and the latest video scandal has to do with the ongoing effort by the commission to fight corruption in the country. I think this is really the work, from what I can gather, of the opposition. Definitely, they are scared now.”

He also reportedly said: “They were the people complaining about the fact that only ikan bilis were getting caught. But now that big fishes are being caught regularly, they are starting to feel jumpy.

“Therefore, they want as far as possible to try to destroy the MACC officer, who has done a great job.”

Tariq told FMT he believed Tunku Aziz’s statement was part of BN’s attempt to draw Pakatan into an emotional debate through the media. The opposition had been resisting this, he said.

He pointed to Pakatan’s reaction to PPBM Youth leader Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman’s revelation of an alleged attempt to buy him over and to PKR vice-president Tian Chua’s decision to withdraw his appeal against conviction and a jail sentence on a charge of disobeying a police order to leave a restricted area.

“Did we jump up and act like a bunch of hooligans?” he said. “No, we sat down and proceeded to continue with our work to be the next government.”

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil also said Pakatan was too busy with important matters to waste time on a smear campaign against anyone.

He said the opposition was currently focused on anti-kleptocracy efforts.

“Having just completed a very big rally after a three-month roadshow, it leaves us with little resources to engage in this kind of activity,” he said.

“What is more important is that MACC needs to investigate the huge elephant in the room, which is the 1MDB scandal. MACC needs to train its guns on this mega scandal.”

DAP vice-chair Teresa Kok also dismissed the claims made by the former DAP man.

“That is Tunku Abdul Aziz for you,” she said. “He’s still being petty. I won’t dignify his antics with a reply.” - FMT