Anti-corruption group says crucial for MACC to probe claims Sabah reps offered millions to defect

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must investigate Sabah assemblymen’s allegation that they were offered millions of ringgit to abandon Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal’s state administration, said the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4).

The group pointed out that the allegations already became public earlier this month, prior to Shafie’s dissolution of the state assembly yesterday.

“One of such cases is of Lahad Datu representative, Dumi Pg Masdal where he claimed that he had received an offer of RM5 million from one person and RM20 million from another person, including a ministerial position to jump over.

“Besides Dumi, all DAP elected representatives in the state of Sabah had also come forward and exposed to the media that they too are being harassed and offered money and position to abandon Shafie’s government. Sabah Youth and Sports Minister Ginger Phoong exposed that he was called by a young Chinese man and was offered the deputy chief minister’s post and told that he would be linked up directly with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin.

“Another representative, Jannie Lasimbang, said that three men came to her house in Penampang and asked her to shift alliance. She has since lodged a police report.

“The allegations being made by these state representatives are very serious and should be immediately investigated,” C4 said in a statement today.

The group also criticised former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman for attempting to seize control of the Sabah government through defections.

Shafie announced an early state election yesterday despite insisting that he remained the legitimate chief minister.

He said he could have easily persuaded some of the state lawmakers to stay on his side by offering them posts but questioned the sincerity of those who could be swayed.

Musa attempted to meet Sabah’s Tuan Yang Terutama Tun Juhar Mahiruddin yesterday to try and convince the latter to reconsider the dissolution but was turned away at the gates of the state palace.

He demonstrated that he had 33 assemblymen on his side who represented the simple majority needed to control the state.

However, the dissolution has already been gazetted.