THERE’S 5 OF US VERSUS ONE OF RAMELI’? LIKE SIMPLETONS, HADI & CO CARRY ON LYING: TAKIYUDDIN DENIES PAS LEADERSHIP NOT ONLY AGREED TO RAMELI PAYING RM1.4 MILLION TO CLARE – BUT ALSO AGREED TO PAY HIM BACK

PAS has denied a report that at least five of its leaders had consented to Rameli Musa paying Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown RM1.4 million out of his own pocket to settle the party president Abdul Hadi Awang’s London suit.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said today that the party only became aware of Rameli’s payment to Rewcastle-Brown during the Semenyih by-election.

“We only knew (about the payment) after it was brought up by certain sources; we didn’t know before that,” Takiyuddin told The Malaysian Insight, at the close of nominations for the Rantau by-election.

“PAS didn’t pay anything. That is Hadi’s position and mine. We cannot comment on reports based on this source. We only knew about it after this issue was brought up by certain quarters during the Semenyih by-election,” he said, referring to the PAS source quoted by The Malaysian Insight in a report this morning.

The source had revealed that not only did senior PAS leaders know that Rameli was footing the bill for Hadi, they had also agreed to pay him back.

A source told The Malaysian Insight at least five senior PAS leaders knew of the RM1.4 million payment from Rameli to Rewcastle-Brown.

“Datuk Rameli’s action was definitely known to several PAS leaders and had their mandate,” the source had said, on Hadi’s negotiations with Rewcastle-Brown to settle a countersuit.

Rameli was questioned for five hours by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on March 5 in relation to the payment. He was called up days after it was revealed that the Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd cheque made out to Rewcastle-Brown was from his account.

Rameli allegedly paid the Sarawak Report editor RM1.4 million on January 31, a day before the court would make a ruling.

Lawyer Americk Sidhu, who represented Rewcastle-Brown in the case, confirmed Rameli was Hadi’s negotiator.

PAS leaders had earlier denied knowledge of the payment, with some saying it was made by third parties who did not wish to see the case drag on.

Several quarters have accused Rameli, who was appointed Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd chairman on January 3, of intervening in the case on behalf of Pakatan Harapan leaders.

Hadi had sued Rewcastle-Brown over an article in the Sarawak Report on August 6, 2018, in which it is alleged that he received RM90 million from Umno before the May 9 general election last year.

Rewcastle-Brown subsequently filed a counter-suit against Hadi.