THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki has denied that the organisation was involved in the declaration of support of Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Perikatan Nasional-Kuala Kangsar) to Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Azam stated that his side did not threaten the MP to support the unity government. These allegations, he added, were intended to tarnish the good name of the MACC.“The opposition leader’s statement claiming that we had a role in the MP’s decision is malicious and tarnishes the good name of MACC. The fact is that the statement he made has nothing to do with us,” news portal The Star quoted him as saying.
Last week, PN accused MACC of “intimidating and blackmailing” an opposition lawmaker into supporting PM Anwar’s leadership.PN secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin alleged that Kuala Kangsar MP was threatened with corruption charges.“It is believed that intimidation and blackmail were used against the Kuala Kangsar MP to force him to support the Madani government so that it would again have a two-thirds majority in Parliament.“On Oct 1, Iskandar was taken to a hotel in Damansara where he met a high-ranking MACC officer and was threatened with corruption charges should he refuse to sign a media statement, which had been prepared to say that he supports the government,” he said in a statement.The opposition also said the government’s alleged attempt to gain support from PN MPs was to recover its two-thirds majority in Parliament.The government lost its two-thirds majority after Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (MUDA-Muar) withdrew his support for the government. Iskandar had declared his support on Oct 12.Deputy PM Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also explained that Dzulkarnain’s support was made by the parliamentarian himself without contacting Anwar. – Oct 15, 2023
