KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday assured that the leaders of his new party, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang), will not engage in party hopping for monetary gain.
Online news portal Malaysiakini reported that while campaigning for Pejuang candidate Amir Khusyairi Mohamad Tanus at Felda Trolak yesterday for the Slim by-election, Dr Mahathir expressed shock that politicians were allegedly being bribed to defect from their own party.
He even accused Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of engineering the situation in Sabah.
“(Muhyiddin) bought 13 assemblypersons. This is how Muhyiddin gets support," Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying.
“I was shocked to hear that some were paid RM32 million to leave Warisan, some were paid RM5 million.
“All of us in Pejuang promise there will be no sale (of representatives)... when I called Amir and asked him whether he will sell (himself), he said no,’ said Dr Mahathir.
Earlier this month, caretaker Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal sought for a dissolution of the State Assembly following the defection of the 13 assemblymen, which gave his rival, Tan Sri Musa Aman a simple majority in the 65 member House.
The Election Commission then set the state elections on September 26 with early polling on September 22.
Dr Mahathir also urged voters in Slim to take this opportunity to reject money politics and said Pejuang is a corrupt-free alternative to Bersatu and Umno.
“Politics (today) is not about fighting for race, religion, or country, but is politics to line pockets only.
“This Slim by-election is not to change the government, but it is important for the people of Slim to show to the government and all of Malaysia that the people do not like money politics.
“We (Pejuang) want to eradicate this system of bribes and corruption. Pejuang was formed to replace Umno and Bersatu,” he said.
