Probe alleged offer of govt posts to Umno leaders, says DAP

The offering of ministerial or GLC positions to MPs in PN “seems to be occurring since PN took over the government” and was “consistent with what was said in the said recording”.

(FMT) – The DAP says the alleged offer of positions in the Cabinet and government-linked companies (GLCs) by PPBM to Umno leaders is a form of corruption which must be investigated.

The party’s legal bureau chairman, Ramkarpal Singh, said the offer, if it is true, is a form of gratification amounting to corruption under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.

An unconfirmed audio recording alleging that PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin wanted to entice Umno leaders to join his party with promises of government positions made its rounds on social media yesterday.

The recording was purportedly made at the PPBM Supreme Council meeting on Feb 23 – a day before Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned as prime minister and as chairman of PPBM.

“If the said recording is proven to be authentic, it may result in those who offered and those who received such gratification being charged in court for indulging in corrupt practices,” Ramkarpal said in a statement.

According to the recording, Muhyiddin had encouraged PPBM leaders to try to convince Umno MPs to switch sides. PPBM would have been the largest Malay party in the government if they succeeded, he purportedly said.

FMT is awaiting a response from Muhyiddin’s press secretary.

The meeting was held before the so-called Sheraton Move, in which MPs from Umno, PAS, PPBM and some from PKR gathered at the Sheraton hotel in Petaling Jaya, which led to the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government.

PPBM pulled out of PH after Mahathir resigned the next day, which led to the Perikatan Nasional government – helmed by Muhyiddin and comprising PAS and Umno MPs – being formed.

Ramkarpal said the offering of ministerial or GLC positions to MPs in PN “seems to be occurring since PN took over the government” and was “consistent with what was said in the said recording”.

This, he said, lent credence to the possibility of the said recording being authentic.

“The people have a right to know if the said recording is authentic and if so, whether MPs in PN were enticed into joining PN, which led to the fall of the democratically elected Pakatan Harapan government,” he said.

In such circumstances, the Bukit Gelugor MP said, the MACC and the attorney-general must act immediately without fear or favour by launching an investigation into whether the recording is authentic.

He called on Attorney-General Idrus Harun and MACC chief Azam Baki to “get the ball rolling” by starting a public and transparent investigation into the matter.

“Anything less would be a severe dereliction of duty on their part,” Ramkarpal added.