Explain where MP’s denial of RM10mil offer came from, MACC told

 

Saifuddin Nasution claims that Natrah Ismail made no mention of a RM10 million offer to MACC and wants to know where the agency came out with a denial.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has to clarify its statement on Sekijang MP Natrah Ismail denying that she was offered RM10 million to switch parties, and also on why it was so quick to issue the denial, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.

Speaking at a press conference after the launch of the party’s “Community Alert” campaign this morning, Saifuddin questioned where the denial came from, claiming that Natrah did not speak of any figures during her meeting with MACC yesterday.

“MACC was quick to issue a statement about her denial of an allegation that she was offered RM10 million, even before conducting an investigation,” he said.

Saifuddin added that he would write to MACC chief Azam Baki later this week and request for a meeting to discuss the matter further.

Asked how many PKR MPs have been approached or how much they had been offered to jump ship, Saifuddin said the party would wait for MACC’s response first.

Natrah previously lodged a report with MACC against two individuals, including one “Datuk Seri,” who had asked her to support Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in return for “benefits”.

MACC then issued a statement last night saying Natrah had “confirmed there was no offer of a RM10 million bribe as alleged in the Facebook account under the name Ops Johor”, adding that it would continue to investigate the issue with several witnesses.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) component parties were in the midst of negotiating seat allocations for the next general election.

He added that the subject of cooperating with Umno had not been raised, but reiterated that PH was willing to work with any party that was aligned with the coalition’s principles.

Commenting on whether he still had the numbers to form a new government after two PKR MPs left the party, Anwar said: “If you understand simple mathematics, you can conclude yourself”.

“The loss of two does not mean the gain of another few. It will not add to the majority,” he said, adding that the Perikatan Nasional administration’s practice of luring MPs to join them was “immoral, unethical and unlawful”. - FMT