Switch of MPs’ support seen as part of move to finish off Bersatu
Published on: Tuesday, November 14, 2023
By:
FMT, Elill Easwaran
.jpg "Switch of MPs’ support seen as part of move to finish off Bersatu")
Four Bersatu MPs who declared support for Anwar Ibrahim’s government have also applied for a change in seating position in the Dewan Rakyat. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Almost every Bersatu MP has been approached on pledging their support for Anwar Ibrahim’s government as part of efforts to “finish off” Bersatu, according to a party insider.
A Bersatu Supreme Council member told FMT that members of Anwar’s government were “trying by hook or by crook to finish off Bersatu”, resulting in Bersatu taking preventive measures to prevent further defections.
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The party insider did not elaborate on the “preventive measures”, stating merely that “it’s confidential”.
The source said approaches had been made to nearly all of Bersatu’s 31 members of the Dewan Rakyat but the success rate of these moves remained to be seen.
So far, four Bersatu MPs have already declared their support for Anwar’s government.
FMT has reached out to the unity government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil to comment on the claims.
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Another Bersatu MP said he had been approached by phone recently about supporting the government. “Yes, I did receive a call (asking to arrange a meeting) but I declined to meet the person. When I asked my fellow MPs about it, they said the caller would offer cash and allocations,” he claimed.
Last week, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said more opposition MPs will announce their support for Anwar, adding that the support given by Bersatu MPs so far should be accepted in good faith.
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The four Bersatu MPs who declared support for Anwar said they would remain in Bersatu. They are Labuan MP Suhaili Abdul Rahman, Kuala Kangsar MP Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, Gua Musang MP Azizi Abu Naim and Jeli MP Zahari Kechik.
Suhaili and Iskandar have since been suspended by the party for six and four years, respectively.
All four said their action was taken for the sake of their constituents, with Suhaili saying he had received a constituency allocation of development funds following his declaration of support for Anwar.
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