KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has demanded the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration to stop using government agencies to pressure MPs into switching sides.
The PKR president added that he will be writing to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Datuk Seri Azam Baki to arrange a meeting on the matter.
“During the discussion, we hope to raise our concerns, as outlined in previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) statements, that the instruments of government — whether the police, MACC or IRB (Inland Revenue Board) — are complicit in the abuse of MPs.
“If you look at recent cases, it is obvious that the MACC is being used as a political weapon. If you ‘jump’ (lompat), the investigation will be postponed. If you don’t, you will continue to suffer abuse.
“Tomorrow morning I will write a letter to MACC chief Datuk Seri Azam Baki seeking a meeting as well as an explanation over the matter,” he said during a press briefing at Eastin Hotel here today.
Anwar added that a few PKR MPs, including its Sekijang incumbent Natrah Ismail, had claimed to be on the receiving end of offers and threats aimed at gaining her support for PN.
“Other than YB Natrah, Padang Serai, Sungai Siput, Putatan and Miri have mentioned that they were threatened or have received various offers and enticements to attract their support,” he added.
On March 13, Kuala Langat MP Dr Xavier Jayakumar quit the Opposition party, of which he was also its vice-president, and pledged support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as an independent.
Dr Xavier was the latest senior figure to announce his departure from PKR, after last month’s exit of Julau MP Larry Sng and Tebrau MP Steven Choong. Both also declared themselves independents in support of Muhyiddin.
Another PKR MP Sivarasa Rasiah claimed that the reason Dr Xavier decided to quit the Opposition was due to pressure from the MACC.
The Sungai Buloh MP expressed his sadness at the outcome and urged the government to stop abusing its power through selective prosecution in order to pressure members of the Opposition to jump ship.
