KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for allegedly offering inducements to lawmakers to switch parties. 

Lim in a statement said that Tebrau MP Steven Choong, who defected from PKR to support Muhyiddin had admitted that Muhyiddin promised him an official position that would provide him with a platform to rebuild the nation's economy. 

“Is this not an inducement for Steven Choong to jump?

“This reminds us of the notorious audio recording of Muhyiddin last year, offering political posts and positions in Government Linked Corporations (GLC) in exchange for political support,” he said.

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Lim pointed out that Umno Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had earlier revealed that he rejected an offer by the prime minister to become Petronas chairman because it was unconstitutional. 

However, Lim said that Umno’s Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim did not reject his recent appointment as chairperson of Perbadanan PR1MA Malaysia (PR1MA). 

“Will MACC demonstrate its independence, impartiality, professionalism and adherence to the rule of law by investigating the prime minister? 

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“At the very least MACC should openly state that party hopping due to money politics or in exchange for favours is illegal and a corrupt practice,” he said. 

Lim said former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam was right when he said that elected representatives who are swayed by money are making a mockery of politics in the country. 

“He said it is no longer about politics or ideology, only the ideology of money where the rewards now are no longer small like in the past,” he said. 

Ironically, Lim said Muhyiddin had made fighting corruption one of his key commitments in government. 

“However, reality does not support Muhyiddin’s rhetoric. 

“In the 2020 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) Report, Malaysia dropped 6 rungs to 57 positions, compared to 62 in 2017, 61 in 2018 and 51 in 2019,” he said. 

Lim said that the primary cause for the drop in rank was a lack of emphasis on open tenders and transparency. 

“Also, the appointment of politicians to replace professionals in GLC in exchange for political support, withdrawal of criminal charges against political leaders favouring the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, using government positions to buy political support as well as selective investigation and prosecution of politicians. 

“As MACC appears indifferent to the drop in Malaysian rankings in the Transparency International CPI, it will not be surprising if Malaysia’s CPI rankings further decline this year,” he added.