Show proof MP was threatened to back me, says Anwar
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has asked Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin to provide proof that Kuala Kangsar MP Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid was threatened to declare his support for his leadership.
(FMT) – “If there is evidence he has to provide it, but what else does he want to say? All I know is that I haven’t met, contacted or sent a representative to (Iskandar Dzulkarnain). I don’t know who threatened him.
“If there is evidence, please provide it. This is a serious accusation. He should file a report and there should be an investigation,” he told reporters after an event here.
Last week, Hamzah, who is also opposition leader, claimed that intimidation and threats were used against Iskandar Dzulkarnain to secure his support for the government to regain a two-third majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
Hamzah alleged that the Kuala Kangsar MP was brought to meet a high-ranking Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer at a hotel in Damansara and threatened with corruption charges if he refused to sign a media statement stating his support for the government.
Subsequently, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki denied the allegation, saying the commission was not involved in any such meeting.
Azam also said that the allegation was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the anti-graft agency’s reputation.
Meanwhile, Anwar said the situation in the Middle East will continue to be monitored to assess whether Malaysian peacekeeping forces in Lebanon would continue their deployment or return.
“If the safety of the situation is assured, then we will maintain the forces there. If it isn’t, we will bring them back.”
In a statement, Wisma Putra had directed the Malaysian embassy in Beirut to implement precautionary measures, in light of recent Israeli attacks in South Lebanon.
The United Nations-Malaysian Armed Forces (UN-MAF) peacekeeping contingent, known as Malbatt, is currently deployed as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
