KUALA LUMPUR – An aide to opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has lodged a police report over online content alleging that Perikatan Nasional (PN) is attempting to bribe the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to allow the formation of a new government.
The report was lodged by Hamzah’s private secretary Ahmad Ikhwan Fadhli, who said that claims of PN bribing the king with RM1 billion as a plan to topple the Madani government are “baseless and slanderous.”
Noting that the report might be followed by legal action, pending advice from their lawyers, Ikhwan asserted that a blog site called “Media Rakyat Network” had first voiced the accusation in a post on January 8.
“It’s disappointing to see that the government does not appear to be intent on taking action against the spread of slander involving the Agong.
“The article (by Media Rakyat Network) is still accessible until now. (The government) speaks of (defending) 3R (race, religion and royalty) issues, so why are they quiet about this issue, which is clearly slanderous towards the Agong?” he questioned.
He also said that the report was filed to clear Hamzah’s name of the accusation, claiming that the individual behind the blog posting had ill intentions towards the Bersatu secretary-general.
Meanwhile, Bersatu Youth assistant secretary Faiz Rahmad said that the party’s youth wing is ready to mobilise its forces to lodge police reports nationwide on the issue.
“Armada (Bersatu Youth) has discussed the matter and we’re willing to lodge more police reports over the country to defend the integrity of our MPs and the Agong,” he said.
Previously, it was reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary Datuk Azman Abidin had called for an investigation into claims that a PN leader is involved in attempts to bribe influential figures and MPs to topple the unity government.
Based on Media Rakyat Network’s post, which remains accessible as of press time, Hamzah is accused of being the individual behind the plan to bribe the king.
The post also asserted that the funds for the bribe will be provided by former two-time prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and his right-hand man Tun Daim Zainuddin – who is currently being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
PN had previously denied a viral statement alleging that the Agong had granted an audience to 118 MPs and their statutory declarations (SD) backing the opposition coalition led by chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
However, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, who is also Bersatu elections director, later insisted that there are enough SDs by MPs to form a new government.
This came on the back of Community Communications Department Deputy Director-General Datuk Ismail Yusop’s claim that a political move, dubbed Langkah Dubai, is underway to overthrow Anwar’s administration.
Last month, in a Facebook post, Ismail said that Langkah Dubai was engineered by PN figures, as well as Mahathir and Daim. – January 10, 2024