The youth wings of two Pakatan Harapan parties and Bersatu today lodged an MACC report against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for allegedly using government-linked appointments to entice MPs to support him, but PKR was notably absent.
The report was lodged by Amanah deputy youth chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin who was accompanied by DAP Youth chief Howard Lee and Bersatu Youth exco member Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin. There was no PKR representative.
PKR Youth chief Akmal Nasir who was supposed to represent the party was not present today as he had to attend other matters, said Shazni.
"Akmal couldn't come as he had other matters to attend.
"But he sent his regards to those who were present," he said.
The MACC report at the graft buster's headquarters in Putrajaya was over a leaked audio recording uploaded on Facebook.
In the recording, a man whose voice resembles that of Muhyiddin is heard saying that Umno MPs can be enticed to join Bersatu if they are offered ministerships or government-linked company (GLC) posts.
In a media conference outside the MACC headquarters, Shazni said the Perikatan Nasional government had shared "the spoils of war" as stated in the leaked audio recording.
"In the audio, it's clear that Muhyiddin planned to use his position in the government by offering bribes in the form of ministerships and GLC positions to obtain support from MPs for him and the Bersatu leadership.
"PN distributed positions among them a la robbers in (P Ramlee's) film Nujum Pak Belalang - (the dialogue goes) 'one for you, one for me'.
"Muhyiddin's action is not only wrong from the legal aspect but also the moral aspect, and he has brought shame to the Malays and the country.
"If such action took place in another country, the people would have surely brought the issue to the streets and demanded the corrupt leader to resign," Shazni said.
He added that none of the individuals who were offered positions stepped forward to lodge a report against Muhyiddin over the alleged corruption.
"Therefore, as responsible citizens, we come to lodge a report on corruption against Muhyiddin and urge the MACC to open an investigation paper.
"We don't want the country to be helmed by a kleptocrat leader like BN or Umno before the next general election," he said.
The recording, which purportedly featured the Bersatu president, is said to have been taken from the Bersatu supreme council meeting on Feb 23.
The man in the recording said: "If they know a new government is being formed, with Umno (joining) in, why don't you (Umno MPs) join in now, why don't you join us now, rather than you join later?
"I think if we did that, a majority will leave Umno (with just) 10-20 (MPs), with just Najib (Abdul Razak) and his people (left behind).
"Especially if there are positions. If not a minister, then chairperson of a GLC."
Since coming to power, Muhyiddin's PN government has appointed more than three dozen of its MPs as heads of GLCs, government agencies, and newly-created diplomatic positions.
This is the second time PKR is absent from an effort to project unity between Harapan and the Bersatu faction aligned with disputed party chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
On May 18, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim was absent from a high-level press conference after the Parliament sitting.
All top leaders from Amanah, DAP, Warisan, and Bersatu were present.
Amid talks of a counter-coup against Muhyiddin, the issue of whether Anwar or Mahathir will be prime minister if Harapan returns to power remains unresolved.
Muhyiddin was sworn in as the new prime minister on March 1 after Mahathir refused to lead a new coalition comprising Bersatu, BN, PAS, GPS, PBS, and Star.
Muhyiddin pulled Bersatu out of Harapan, leading to the collapse of the Harapan government that came into power in the 2018 general election.
Mahathir indicated he plans to take Bersatu back to Harapan but at present, Muhyiddin appears to have the upper hand in the party.
Meanwhile, in Kedah, state Bersatu deputy chief Anuar Abdul Hamid (above) also lodged a similar report with MACC against Muhyiddin.
In his report, Anuar alleged that the prime minister has violated the MACC Act by offering ministerial and GLC posts as per the audio recording.
"The action or plan of abusing power in the government to offer bribes, in the form of positions as ministers or chairperson of GLCs, is clearly an offence as stipulated under Section 23 of MACC Act 2009.
"This plan was made in order to secure the support of the MPs involved for Muhyiddin as the prime minister and president of Bersatu," he said.
According to Anuar, the MPs who were offered the posts had also committed an offence when they failed to lodge a report on the offers.
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