KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 — Perikatan Nasional's (PN) Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman denied claims that he played the role of a broker following the accusations of attempting to entice additional Bersatu Members of Parliament (MPs) to support the government, The Star reported today.
“I am not a broker. I simply shared information, believing that they could benefit in the same way I did,” he was quoted as saying.
He also admitted to having engaged in a conversation with Bersatu Gerik MP Fathul Huzir Ayob but stressed that it was to discuss ways to secure allocations for the Gerik constituency.
Suhaili was reported saying that he and Fathul had previously discussed the challenges of managing their responsibilities as MPs without sufficient 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 (prime minister), I called him (Fathul) 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,” Suhaili was quoted as saying.
Suhaili dismissed the accusations that he was a broker, asserting that he had simply provided guidance to his colleagues on securing funds for their constituencies.
He explained that there was no intermediary or “broker" facilitating communication 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 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 was quoted saying.
Suhaili said that he has faced significant consequences for changing his allegiance.
In response, he urged the Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fahysal Wan Ahmad Kamal not to criticise him, emphasising that he was never offered any ministerial position as a supposed “reward,” contrary to claims made 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 told The Star.
Suhaili further said that his actions simply involved accepting the offer from the prime minister to lend support in exchange for allocations for his constituency.
The three other Bersatu MPs who expressed support for Anwar were Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang) and Zahari Kechik (Jeli).
Additionally, disciplinary measures are pending against Mohd Azizi and Zahari for deviating from party ranks.
On Tuesday, Wan Ahmad Fahysal claimed that a “Datuk Botak” was also among those “operators” working to entice more of the Opposition party’s lawmakers to support the government.
Wan Ahmad Fahysal said that this was exposed when Suhaili allegedly called and tried to entice Bersatu members while they were in a meeting with PN leaders.
