PN considering to take legal action over gambling funds claim

KUALA LUMPUR - PN describes the allegation that it received funds from gambling as a big slander.

Its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said it was a serious allegation against the coalition and a lie and that it was not impossible that they will take legal action against those who made such accusations.

He said PN will discuss with its lawyers regarding a follow-up action to be taken regarding the allegation that it received funds from gambling companies to finance the campaign for the 15th General Election (GE15) last year.

He said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said previously said the claim could not be verified thus proving that the allegation towards PN was a slander and a lie.

"We (PN) will consider whether to take legal action against the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) over that statement.

"First of all, we (PN) want to emphasise that this allegation is serious and a slander. PN will wait for an answer from Anwar before deciding on taking further action," he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, today.

The Bersatu president earlier appeared in court for the proceedings of his charges of abuse of power involving over a RM232.5 million bribe and receiving proceeds from illegal activities.

Muhyiddin said the statement made by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister stating that PN had used gambling money in GE15 was untrue.

In fact, he said Azalina had stated that there was not a single evidence that could prove that the matter (allegation) was true.

"We (PN) will look into this matter, but what is important is first of all, we will ask them to apologise as this is a slander and a serious allegation.

"After that, I will see what they will do," he said.

During a Parliament session yesterday, Azalina said the claim that PN had received funds from gambling companies to finance its election campaign could not be verified.

She said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had carried out a detailed investigation and found that the information was very general and no party could confirm it, so no investigation papers were opened.