Ipoh Barat MP M Kula Segaran said one of his officers had received a “random call followed by WhatsApp messages” from an unidentified party offering him money, a ministerial position and other incentives in order to support the ruling administration.
“My officer has made it clear that I have no intention to support Muhyiddin (Yassin) or the PN government,” the former human resources minister affirmed in a statement.
“My secretary, Jeremy Chumash, has made a police report on the matter. More importantly, let me advise the PN government and the prime minister that instead of buying over MPs, take note of your failures that have devastated the country.
“Money and position are not factors which can sway us to leave the party.
“We will swim or die with the party. If need be, we are ready and willing to stay put in the opposition without any perks for so long as it needs to come back to the government.”
Some of Kula’s fellow DAP MPs made similar allegations.
Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong took to social media to share WhatsApp messages from an unknown number that pointed out there were two vacant ministerial positions after Umno’s Noraini Ahmad and Shamsul Anuar Nasarah had resigned as higher education minister and energy and natural resources minister respectively.
This person offered “durian RM30”, a ministerial position and immediate cash. It is unclear what “durian RM30” was in reference to.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii shared a screenshot on Twitter of an almost identical message he had received, which included the phone number of the sender.
“Apparently, ‘our worth’ is calculated in durians now,” he quipped, accompanying his post with a frog emoji, symbolic of politicians who “hop” between parties.
Meanwhile, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also took to social media to claim that some MPs from his party had received the same message.
“The ‘buying business’ is in full swing. Several opposition MPs are being wooed for ministerial positions.
“This is why Muhyiddin wanted the vote of confidence to be carried out only in September.
“Are Islam and Malays really under threat? Or are people fighting for power, posts and bribes?” he asked in a Facebook post.
He was making a veiled reference to the constant claims by certain quarters that PN has to be in power to protect the nation, race and religion.
Saifuddin told FMT that PKR MPs in the constituencies of Hulu Selangor, Kuala Kedah, Alor Setar, Balik Pulau and Setiawangsa were among those offered posts and other incentives in exchange for their support for the PN government.