Pakatan Harapan Losing The Semenyih By-Election

The way Pakatan Harapan has been attacking PAS on the RM90 million allegation is backfiring because of the overkill. They are overdoing the attacks and this is having the reverse effect. The RM90 million attack may actually work against Pakatan Harapan as it is being seen like PAS is being persecuted merely because it is helping Umno in the by-election.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The latest intelligence reports show that Pakatan Harapan is doing badly in the Semenyih by-election. It appears that with PAS assisting the Umno campaign the majority of the Malay voters are not going to vote Pakatan Harapan.

Putrajaya has asked that the fitnah campaign against PAS be stepped up. It started last night with Anwar Ibrahim claiming that he has evidence that PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang paid Clare Rewcastle Brown RM1.4 million as an out of court settlement.

Anwar, however, did not show the so-called evidence and said he would only show it in court if Hadi sues him. If not, then the evidence will remain hidden just like the six boxes of evidence he has against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad which, in 1998, he said he possesses.

Today, the onslaught is on the supposedly “luxury vehicles, properties and cash” that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is said to have seized from PAS leaders. The news reports are suggesting that the “luxury vehicles, properties and cash seized from PAS leaders” is part of the RM90 million 1MDB money that was paid to PAS and/or its leaders.

The RM90 million donation from Umno story is not gaining traction and most Malays do not believe what they regard as fitnah. Pakatan Harapan is desperately trying to ‘kill’ PAS due to the fact that Umno may win the Semenyih by-election because of the help PAS is giving them.

With two days to go before polling day it may be too late for Pakatan Harapan to kill PAS. Anyway, without tangible or documentary evidence to support the RM90 million allegation, most Malays and PAS supporters do not buy the story — especially coming from Anwar Ibrahim who no longer has any credibility amongst the Malays and who depends on non-Malay support to stay relevant.

The way Pakatan Harapan has been attacking PAS on the RM90 million allegation is backfiring because of the overkill. They are overdoing the attacks and this is having the reverse effect. The RM90 million attack may actually work against Pakatan Harapan as it is being seen like PAS is being persecuted merely because it is helping Umno in the by-election.

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MACC seizes luxury vehicles, properties and cash from PAS leaders

(Sun Daily) – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has seized luxury vehicles, properties and cash from PAS leaders in connection with its investigations into claims of the Islamist party accepting RM90 million from the 1MDB fund.

MACC’s top officials were evasive when contacted today and declined to comment on the seizures but sources said at least five vehicles, a landed property and cash worth over RM5 million were seized.

It is learnt that more such seizures of luxury items are expected to be made in the coming days.

Earlier, PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan was summoned for questioning here at 9am. He was grilled by MACC investigators for about four hours before being allowed to leave.

It is believed that Takiyuddin was questioned about allegations by news portal Sarawak Report on the sudden windfall certain PAS leaders have enjoyed over the last year, leading to them acquiring luxury vehicles and properties.

Early this month, MACC initiated an investigation on the allegations after PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, who had sued Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle Brown made an out-of-court settlement with her over a countersuit she filed against him.

Over the past three weeks, MACC investigators have summoned several PAS officials and ex-PAS leaders to have their statements recorded.