Steven Choong, who defected from PKR to support the Perikatan Nasional administration, revealed that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin promised him an official position.
According to the Tebrau MP, the position would provide him with a platform to rebuild the nation's economy, which is reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The independent lawmaker disclosed that he was in contact with Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin as well as Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin since last year.
However, it was only last month that Zuraida brought him to meet Muhyiddin.
Choong said he wrestled with the prospect of meeting the prime minister and delayed the meeting for two weeks to discuss the matter with his family.
"I met the PM in February this year.
"We talked for about an hour, and Zuraida was there," he said in a recent interview with Chinese current affairs programme FengRenGuan.
"The pandemic has affected a lot of businesses, and this involves different departments. If I have the power, I can get all the ministries to sit down together and discuss the issues," he added.
During his meeting with Muhyiddin, Choong said he proposed how to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) weather the crisis.
Furthermore, he said the premier told him that a background check revealed that he was a clean politician.
On Feb 28, Choong and Julau MP Larry Sng quit PKR to support Muhyiddin as independent MPs.
The pair cited the interests of their constituents as the catalyst behind the decision, but PKR president Anwar Ibrahim alleged that it was due to coercion and pressure from the federal government.
With the duo's support, PN has regained its simple majority in the Dewan Rakyat with 111 MPs.
Not a minister, deputy minister or GLC post
Meanwhile, Choong also commented on publicly denying his defection just two days before expressing support for Muhyiddin.
"At the time, I really wanted to admit it. But I could not because I had just met the PM a few days earlier and the PM made a verbal promise that I would be given a position. There was no decision then on what position," he added.
Choong had even consulted Zuraida if he could make an announcement on the matter but was advised against it since there had been no final decision on his position.
"She said my request was special. I did not want to be a minister, I did not want to be a deputy minister, I did not want to manage a GLC (government-linked company) as well. I just wanted to solve the problem (due to Covid-19).
"Therefore, she said they needed time to discuss the position. So I could not admit it at the time as it would be disrespectful to the PM," he added.
Although he has not been assigned a specific post, Choong said he had received the green light to start work such as collecting feedback from SMEs.
"If Muhyiddin is not sincere, he will not allow me to do so," he added.
On the same note, the Tebrau MP denied that he quit PKR to support PN because he received funds.
'Anwar told me he would be PM soon'
In the interview, Choong also revealed that when speculation of his defection made the rounds, Anwar had attempted to persuade him not to leave.
"Anwar called me and said, 'Can you give me some time? I am to be PM soon. Don't regret after this, just give me a bit more time'," he claimed.
However, Choong said he did not believe in Anwar because the opposition leader lacked sufficient support to become the prime minister.
He added that his conscience is clear because his decision did not lead to the collapse of the government.
As for his future plans, the lawmaker said he wanted to defend his seat, but it is still too premature to state if PN would nominate him as a candidate.
Choong defeated MCA's Hou Kok Chung and PAS' Abdullah Hussin by a 37,225-vote majority in the last general election. That was the first time PKR won the Tebrau seat.
- Mkini
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