Anwar tried to get Mohd Puad to switch parties
He also said four Sultans had agreed and stated their support for Pakatan Rakyat to take over the federal government. He mentioned Perlis, Perak, Terengganu and Selangor.
(Bernama) – Umno Supreme Council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi told the High Court here today that three individuals including opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim attempted to get him to switch parties in 2008.
The two other individuals were former PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution who contacted him in Taiwan, and Anwar’s friend, Abdul Rahim Ghouse who met him in Johor. Both incidents took place in September 2008, according to the witness.
Mohd Puad was testifying in the RM100 million suit by Anwar against Foreign Minister Anifah Aman relating to the latter’s statement at a media conference in Washington in May 2009.
The witness said Saifuddin had contacted him while he was with 30 Barisan Nasional members of Parliament on a study tour in Taiwan organised by BNl Backbenchers Club (BNBBC), several days before September 16, 2008, the date Anwar said he would form the new government.
He said the programme was held by BNBBC to prevent attempts by opposition MPs to contact BN MPs to switch parties.
“At that time, those who did not attend the programme in Taiwan were suspected of planning to party-hop,” he said.
Mohd Puad said Saifuddin also informed him that Tian Chua and Fuziah Salleh were also with him in Taiwan and that they were staying at the same hotel as the BN MPs.
“I asked how he got my room number when there were clear instructions to the hotel management not to disclose the room details to anybody and Saifuddin told me he sought the help of a Taiwanese MP,” he said.
Mohd Puad said after the conversation, he and other MPs prepared to leave for Macau to avoid being approached by the opposition before returning to Malaysia on September 18, 2008.
Upon his return from Macau, he was contacted by Abdul Rahim on September 19, 2008 to meet up; Abdul Rahim told him that the September 16 plan would proceed albeit some weeks later or around September 25.
“Abdul Rahim said Anwar needed at least one Malay MP from Johor and I agreed to meet him at a food stall in Batu Pahat station in Jalan Omar,” he said.
Mohd Puad said in the meeting with Abdul Rahim at 2am September 20, 2008 in Batu Pahat, the latter stated that former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would be losing his majority in the Dewan Rakyat soon.
“Abdul Rahim said several BN MPs had already signed a letter of agreement to support Anwar as Prime Minister and I was made to understand that the letter was a statutory declaration,” said Mohd Puad.
He said Abdul Rahim also told him that 30 BN MPs were going to hop and the statutory declaration would be presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as proof that Anwar had obtained the majority voice in the Dewan Rakyat.
“I told him I was not ready to sign the statutory declaration and he immediately contacted Anwar by mobile phone and asked the opposition chief to speak to me himself.
“Anwar told me, ‘Puad, we have enough members and it’s going to happen but we still need a Malay MP from Johor like you to be with us’.”
He also said four Sultans had agreed and stated their support for Pakatan Rakyat to take over the federal government. He mentioned Perlis, Perak, Terengganu and Selangor.
“I asked Anwar, ‘How about the Malay agenda?’ and the plaintiff replied he would protect the Malay agenda. I was nervous and told Anwar that I am Johorian and Umno was born in Johor,” said Mohd Puad.
He also communicated to Anwar his fear that the Sultan would get angry and banish him from the state if he signed the letter.
“I then told Anwar that I wished to return home and say a prayer for guidance (istiqarah). My conversation with Anwar ended there,” he said. Mohd Puad said he returned home, prayed and was enlightened in a dream that he would be ‘selling’ his country if he signed the letter.
He said he subsequently contacted Abdul Rahim and told him, “You tell Anwar, tumbang-tumbanglah (If BN falls, so be it.) I am prepared to be in the opposition. I will not sign the letter”.
Mohd Puad said after the incident he left for Acheh as he did not want to be disturbed.
Anwar filed the suit against Anifah and the Malaysian government on May 27, 2009, alleging that the minister’s statement at a media conference in Washington on May 16, 2009, which was attended by then United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had tarnished his good name.
The hearing, presided by Judicial Commissioner Siti Khadijah S. Hassan Badjenid will resume on December 26.
