PETALING JAYA, 2 Feb 2009: A Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leader says he was offered RM50 million by Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak to entice Perak state assemblypersons to leave the Pakatan Rakyat state government.
"Datuk Seri Najib requested that I help persuade at least two Perak state assemblypersons, preferably from PKR, to switch parties to Umno, or become Independents," PKR Ipoh Barat division chief Fauzi Muda said in a statutory declaration dated 2 Feb 2009, and released to the press today.
In the declaration, Fauzi described a face-to-face meeting he had with Najib on 11 March 2008, during which the deputy prime minister made him the aforementioned offer.
"He was willing to offer me as much as RM50 million for that purpose," Fauzi said, adding that it was up to him how much he wanted to pay assemblypersons who wanted to switch parties.
According to Fauzi, such overtures only increased in frequency after the 12th general election.
"They were in constant contact with me, and were always working towards buying two Pakatan Rakyat state assemblypersons, especially Jamaluddin Mat Radzi and Capt (R) Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu," Fauzi said.
In Fauzi's last communication with agents of the deputy prime minister, both Jamaluddin and Mohd Osman were offered RM5 million, with RM5 million going to Fauzi for his co-operation. He said the offer, made shortly before Chinese New Year, included corruption charges pending against both PKR excos being dropped.
Jamaluddin and Mohd Osman were arrested on 20 Aug 2008, in connection with a corruption case involving the RM180 million Seri Iskandar housing project, near Ipoh. The case is being heard on 10 Feb.
Fauzi said he came forward "because of fears of corruption with regards to the two excos."
2 Feb 09 : 7.30PM
By Zedeck Siew
zedecksiew@thenutgraph.com
