(Harakah) - A PKR member of parliament has claimed that UMNO had planned to dish out RM160 million to 'buy' its two-third majority in parliament soon after Najib Razak took over from Abdullah Badawi as the prime minister.

Tanah Merah MP Amran Ab Ghanim said he was one of eight MPs offered to switch camp.

“The eight of us were offered RM10 million each, and it would be increased to RM20 million to regain two-third majority in parliament," he alleged at a press conference yesterday.

According to Amran, they were not required to join UMNO but was told to remain as 'independent' MPs allied to BN.

He said they were promised RM10 million in the form of properties while another RM10 million in cash.

"They told us to stay in Indonesia for two years until the dust settled,” he added.

Earlier, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad released a video showing UMNO agents negotiating with PKR MPs to jump ship.

Khalid had named former PKR Youth member Zamil Ibrahim, now a leader in former minister Zaid Ibrahim’s KITA party, and president of the right-wing Jaringan Melayu Malaysia Azwanuddin Hamzah, as among those making such offers to PR MPs.

Yesterday, Khalid said the MP buying attempts were still active.

“This is not something created by Pakatan Rakyat,” he stressed.

PKR's Indera Mahkota MP Azan Ismail had also claimed that he had been offered RM5 million to defect to BN in 2010.