PKR rep: I was offered RM5mil to defect to BN

PKR’s Indera Mahkota parliamentarian Azan Ismail has claimed that he was offered more than RM5 million to defect to BN in 2010, However, he would not reveal details.

Azan (centre in photo) told reporters today that this took place on Jan 27, 2010 at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur where “the agents had arranged for a series for meetings”.

“These people were representing a very respected leader, who used to hold a high position in the government,” he said at the Parliament lobby.

Without going into the specifics, Azan alluded that the offer - which was extended to other PKR parliamentarians as well - was from “organisations of no small capacity”.

He warned that a similar operation could be launched after the next general election.
           
Asked why he had waited two years to reveal this - rather than when allegations of defection were rife - he replied cryptically: “When the time comes, we will expose.”

Azan said the agents had been looking for MPs of a certain quality but who had problems with the party.

“Everything was prepared in black and white” and the MPs who were being head-hunted had to sign a confidentiality agreement, he claimed.

He stressed he had not been “swayed” by the offer and had advised the rest not to be “enticed” either.

Asked for details of the deal, Azan remained tightlipped apart from saying that he has video evidence and that it needs to be “arranged in sequence”.

‘Jigsaw puzzle’

Shah Alam PAS parliamentarian Khalid Samad, who called the press conference today, said Azan was his “star witness” to prove that there had indeed been a covert operation to coax PKR lawmakers to cross over to BN.

Khalid had recently unearthed footage, of which segments were played for reporters, allegedly showing BN leaders negotiating with PKR legislators.

He later disclosed the identity of the “BN agents” as former Kedah Parti Kita chief Zamil Ibrahim and former PKR Youth exco member Azwanddin Hamzah. Both have denied the allegations.

“We will build the jigsaw puzzle so that it becomes clearer. Today I presented one of them to you,” said Khalid.

PKR had suffered a blow in 2010 following a spat of defections, losing six parliamentarians two years after the general election, which left the party with 24 MPs.

Four of the six quit to become Independents, namely Zahrain Hashim (Bayan Baru), Tan Tee Beng (Nibong Tebal), Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri (Bagan Serai) and Wee Choo Keong (Wangsa Maju).

Zulkifli Noordin (Kulim Bandar Baharu) was sacked from the party and turned Independent.

PKR failed to retain the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat, which went to BN’s P Kamalanathan in a by-election following the death of Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad.