Tun M scapegoat again? Bersatu slams Dubai Move drama

SHAH ALAM - A Perikatan Nasional (PN) MP has thrown a curveball into Malaysian politics, claiming attempts to lure opposition members over to the unity government.

Gerik MP Fathul Huzir Ayob has alleged that brokers connected to the government, including a certain "Datuk Rahim," have approached him and fellow PN MPs with "various rewards" in exchange for their support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"I have no knowledge of any movement to overthrow the government by PN.

"With the unity government proudly stating their strong position and receiving a two-thirds majority support, why is the current government constantly suspicious of the opposition?

"While they are busy exposing the speculation about the Dubai Move, the real fact at the grassroots level is that there are still some agents or government proxies trying to approach and entice PN MPs to switch their support to Anwar.

"Recently, an individual named 'Datuk Rahim' contacted me and several PN MPs several times, offering various rewards to persuade us to shift our support to the current government.

"Here I want to reiterate, enough of trying to buy us and do not disturb us again.

"Give us space to work as opposition representatives," he told Sinar.

Fathul made these comments in response to the statement made by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who confirmed the existence of the Dubai Move as revealed by the Community Communication Department (J-Kom) earlier.

J-Kom deputy-director Datuk Ismail Yusop recently claimed that there was a covert plan to overthrow the unity government involving the participation of influential political figures with the title of Tun.

For the record, Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal became the fifth PN representative from Bersatu to express support for the Prime Minister, following Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).

Meanwhile, Bersatu supreme council member Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof urged unity government leaders not to associate any allegations of attempts to overthrow the government with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said that with the statesman's age reaching 100 years, it was irrelevant for the Madani Government to link him to any efforts to topple the current government.

"Everytime there is a movement to overthrow the government, the names Tun M (Dr Mahathir) and Tun Daim (Zainuddin) are being mentioned.

"These individuals are seniors and do not need to prove anything anymore in the country's political landscape.

"Why are they frequently made the scapegoat?

"I think the Dubai Move story is just to cover the weaknesses of the Madani Government.

"They claim to have a two-thirds majority, but it is only conditional and unstable support," he said.