Anwar tirelessly lured Sabah MPs in Putrajaya takeover, court told
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's camp was persistent in wooing Sabah MPs to leave Barisan Nasional in the opposition leader’s efforts to take over Putrajaya by September 16, 2008, the High Court heard today.
Defence witness Datuk Raime Unggi, who is Tenom MP, testified that Anwar's sustained efforts led some of the MPs to discuss the cross-over on many occasions, including overseas.
He said the subject was first brought up by Kimanis MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman in 2008 when several elected representatives met at the Le Meridien Hotel in Kota Kinabalu.
"At the gathering I came to know Ronald Kiandee (Beluran MP) was offered RM5 million to jump ship," Raime said when cross-examined by lawyer Razlan Hadri Zulkifli, who is representing Anwar.
Raime said at the meeting, Anifah, whom he described as his leader, told those present that they should not take any offer made by Anwar or those aligned to the opposition leader.
He said all of them agreed to Anifah's suggestion.
"But the offer was unceasing and we (Anifah, Ronald and Raime) discuss the matter again in Macau," he said.
Raime was testifying in a defamation suit brought by Anwar against Anifah who is now foreign minister.
Anifah allegedly uttered defamatory words about Anwar during a news conference in Washington with former United States secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
He told reporters that Anwar had offered him the post of deputy prime minister if he brought MPs from the state to topple the BN government which had won 140 seats in the 2008 general election.
In his statement of claim, Anwar alleged that Anifah's claims were baseless, unfounded and grossly negligent and had been widely reported in the local and foreign media.
In the 2008 general election, held on March 8, BN lost its traditional two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat when PR won 82 of 222 seats.
Anwar needed at least 30 MPs to switch camp to bring down the BN government and the deadline to meet the target was by September 16, 2008. However, the plan failed.
Earlier during examination-in-chief by Anifah's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Raime said he was told by the foreign minister that a businessman close to Anwar had lured him to get 10 Sabah MPs to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat.
Shafee asked what was Anifah's reaction to the offer and Raime replied that he (Anifah) appeared angry and felt insulted.
Raime said he did not know who the businessman was as Anifah only referred to the person as "Anwar's man".
Razlan objected to this line of questioning as this was hearsay evidence.
Hearing before judicial commissioner Siti Khadijah Badjenid adjourned to December 15. – November 28, 2014.
