PETALING JAYA: Kunak Assemblywoman Norazlinah Arif who defected from Warisan has challenged the party’s President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over claims she was “bought over”.
Norazlinah said she was ready to be investigated by the authorities.
“I welcome a probe by MACC if Shafie has solid evidence. I have denied such claims multiple times,” she said, according to a Berita Harian report.
In the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday, Shafie, the Semporna MP claimed Norazlinah and two other Assemblymen, Chong Chen Bin (Tanjong Kapor) and Mohammad Mohamarin (Banggi) were “bought over” to quit Warisan and support Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
“Recently, when I was on my way back from Mecca, (I discovered) that three Assemblymen have been bought over,” Shafie said.
The former Chief Minister also claimed that several other Warisan elected representatives were “bought over” during the tenure of former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“I’m now down to 16 assemblymen from 23. From what I’ve heard, more will be ‘bought’,” he said.
He said this was why he has been calling for Sabah to implement an anti-hopping enactment at the state level.
He also urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the alleged “buying” of the assemblymen.
In response, Lo Su Fui (GRS-Tawau) said Shafie should bring the matter to court as the allegations he made were “very serious”.
The trio quit the party last week.
“I left Warisan because I no longer agree with the party’s direction which is inconsistent,” Norazlinah said. She added that Warisan’s involvement in the so-called “Kinabalu move” to topple Hajiji was unhealthy.
She said politicking needed to stop and that elected representatives needed to focus on their duties.
Since the Sabah elections in September 2020, Warisan has lost nine assemblymen, including Norazlinah, Mohammad, Chong, Hassan A Gani Pg Amir (Sebatik), Yusof Yacob (Sindumin), Mohamaddin Ketapi (Segama), Peter Anthony (Melalap), Juil Nuatim (Limbahau) and Rina Jainal (Kukusan).
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