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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Anwar’s tale of bullets, “kidnappings” and a CCTV tape

By Lee Wei Lian and Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani | Malaysiainsider

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — A photograph of three bullets, “kidnappings” and CCTV videotapes. These were among the evidence presented or alluded to by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in parliament today to support his claims that the BN government is using bribery and other unethical tactics to entice defections.

Anwar also alleged that despite police reports, top government officials were deliberately taking no action.

He claimed that the bribery scheme could be traced to the deputy prime minister and while he did not present the CCTV recordings in parliament, when pressed by reporters afterwards if he had the tapes, he said: “you will know at the right time.”

“I am giving the truth and facts, the attempts that were conducted by the Umno leadership, including the Deputy Prime Minister and leaders who threatened, kidnapped, and giving bribery this only continues the record and tradition of bribery which are practiced by the said leaders,” Anwar said in parliament.

He told parliament how Lim Soo Nee, PKR’s state representative for Kulim agreed to be “bait” and worked together with the Anti-Corruption Agency (now called the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission) to secure evidence of alleged bribery attempts made by agents of Datuk Seri Mahadzir Khalid to entice a defection.

Mahadzir is the former menteri besar of Kedah.

Mahadzir’s agents were alleged to have offered up to RM5 million for a defection, Anwar claimed.

A CCTV recording was purportedly made of a meeting between Lim and Mahadzir at a hotel in Seberang Jaya at the end of last year.

Anwar also showed a photograph of three bullets sent to PKR Bakar Arang state representative Tan Wei Shu.

It was alleged to have been sent when Tan declined an offer to defect. Tan made a police report but claims no police action was taken.

Anwar also spoke of three police reports lodged by former Bukit Selambau assemblyman V Arumugam.

The reports were lodged over various harassments including an alleged threat that he could end up like former Lunas state representative Joe Fernandez if he persisted in his political activities. Fernandez died after being shot three times in 2000.

“If a police report was made, go investigate. There was no investigation, not once was he called. This is a member of the state executive council and maybe he is Indian. And there is some perception that Indians are a lower class in Malaysia,” Anwar added.

Anwar claimed that the police and the MACC are not acting on the various police reports and the CCTV due to pressure from top leadership in government.

His BN counterparts however, declined to accept Anwar’s evidence at face value.

Dr. Mohd Puad Zarkashi, member of parliament for Batu Pahat, told Anwar not to blame BN for defections and said that the CCTV recording proves nothing as he also meets members from PKR.

Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, member of parliament for Pasir Salak, told Anwar not to accuse the police of wrong doing as they were not in parliament to defend themselves.

In the press conference afterwards, Anwar said that “the Attorney General will use all its powers” to frustrate investigations.

He added that Selangor state representatives had lodged police reports over attempts to bribe them but “that is an academic exercise” as it was unlikely any police investigation would arise out of the reports.

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