Opposition MPs claim bribes offered to them to back Muhyiddin
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Shannon Teoh Malaysia Bureau Chief In Kuala Lumpur, Shannon Teoh
Three opposition lawmakers from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) yesterday alleged that they had been offered cash and seats in the Cabinet in exchange for backing beleaguered Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, whose majority in Parliament is in doubt ahead of a confidence vote next month.
All three provided screen grabs of WhatsApp messages from the same anonymous number which referred to "durian RM30" and the need for "more non-Malay representation in the government".
The DAP draws most of its members and support from outside the country's Malay-Muslim majority.
No one clarified the symbolism of "durian RM30", but the message to all three MPs referred explicitly to an offer to pay cash.
Among the recipients was former human resources minister Kulasegaran Murugeson, who lodged a police report in Ipoh, the capital of Perak state, over the "pathetic and desperate" attempt "to buy me over". "Rain or shine, we will stay put in DAP and our MPs are not for sale, I must make that clear," said Mr Kulasegaran, who is a DAP vice-chairman. Perak police chief Mior Faridalatrash Wahid told The Sunday Times the case has been referred to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
Another DAP lawmaker, Mr Khoo Poay Tiong, also mocked the WhatsApp message, posting on Facebook that "whoever is interested in becoming a minister can contact this number". He added: "Kota Melaka is not for sale," referring to his parliamentary ward.
Kuching MP Kelvin Yii posted a screen grab in which the sender also told him to "step out of the shadow from Lim's family", a reference to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and his father, Mr Lim Kit Siang, 80, who still wields influence in the party.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin's opponents have accused him of lying to the King, after the Premier last Wednesday said he informed the monarch he still had the majority in Parliament. This was despite the fact that 11 Umno MPs had withdrawn support from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government last Tuesday.
Umno was the largest party in the ruling PN pact with 38 MPs. Leaders across the 105-strong opposition bench - joined by the Umno rebels - insist Mr Muhyiddin can at most now count on the support of only 104 out of the 220 members of the federal Parliament.
The Prime Minister has pledged to prove his majority in a confidence vote when Parliament reconvenes on Sept 6, but opponents say his assertion to the King must be tested now.
Two Umno ministers have quit the Cabinet, and their vacant offices were referenced in the alleged offers to the DAP MPs to "replace Parit Sulong or Lenggong durians". The two ministers who quit were from the Parit Sulong and Lenggong constituencies.
