Labuan MP insists he was only sharing beneficial info
PETALING JAYA: There seems to be no end to the conflicting versions of what went on behind the scenes that led to four Bersatu MPs backing the unity government, following talk of a “broker” and “Datuk Botak” supposedly having a role in the controversy.
Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (pic), who had been accused of being the man who tried to lure more Bersatu MPs to switch their allegiance, said:
“I am no broker. I just happened to share information, thinking they too can benefit the way I did.”
He admitted that he spoke to Bersatu MP Fathul Huzir Ayob, but said their discussion focused on how to go about getting allocations for the latter’s Gerik constituency as they had previously talked about the difficulty in managing their work as MPs without such funding.
“It’s true that I called him, but I did not persuade him to jump ship.
“After I announced my support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, I called him (Fathul Huzir) as I remembered our earlier conversation about allocations. I told him this is what one should do to get allocations; the condition being one has to support the government.
“I left it entirely up to him,” said Suhaili.
On Tuesday, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fahysal Wan Ahmad Kamal claimed that a “Datuk Botak” was among those who had tried to woo Opposition MPs into backing Anwar.
He also claimed that Suhaili had tried to lure other Bersatu MPs to shift their allegiance to the Prime Minister.
Suhaili, when contacted yesterday, brushed aside such accusations, saying that he had merely advised his colleagues on how to get funds for their constituencies.
He also said there was no “broker” who acted as a go-between to reach out to Anwar.
“I would like to state that my go-between was not a broker, but Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, to convey to my message to the Prime Minister.
“I don’t know who this Datuk Botak is, nor am I close to the other three Bersatu MPs who have declared their support for Anwar,” he added.
Suhaili said he has had to pay a heavy price for switching his allegiance.
As such, he said Wan Ahmad Fahysal should not take potshots at him, adding that he was never offered any ministerial post as a “reward” as claimed by the latter.
“The party disowned me. The Kuala Kangsar MP (who was the first to declare support for Anwar) was only punished with a four-year suspension, but I was suspended for six years. It’s not fair, but as a party man, I accept the leadership’s decision,” he said.
He claimed that all he did was take up the offer from the Prime Minister to support him in return for allocations for his constituency.
The three other Bersatu MPs who declared their support for Anwar were Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang) and Zahari Kechik (Jeli).
Disciplinary action is pending against Mohd Azizi and Zahari for breaking ranks.
