PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Some Umno MPs have started lodging police reports denying claims that they are supporting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the next Prime Minister of Malaysia.
They have resorted to lodging police reports as their names were on the list of MPs allegedly supporting Mr Anwar despite issuing statements denying any involvement.
The police reports were lodged days before Mr Anwar was reportedly scheduled to seek an audience with the King next Tuesday (Oct 13).
Arau MP Shahidan Kassim had directed his aide to lodge a police report on his behalf, as he was under self-quarantine at home.
"I am surprised my name is on the list of MPs allegedly supporting Anwar as nobody had called or approached me," he said when contacted on Saturday (Oct 10).
Datuk Seri Shahidan said he had no choice but to resort to lodging a police report as his name was on the list of MPs being circulated on social media.
"I asked my aide to lodge a police report on my behalf recently as I have voluntarily put myself under extended self-quarantine while awaiting the third Covid-19 test result although the first two tests returned negative," he said.
Mr Shahidan said he was a party man, and he would only follow his party's decision.
"My party is Barisan Nasional, Muafakat Nasional, and currently Perikatan Nasional as Umno MPs are holding Cabinet posts. If Umno no longer supported Perikatan, its MPs would not be holding Cabinet posts," he said.
Mr Shahidan said it was irresponsible of Mr Anwar to use the media to stake the claim that he had the majority to form a new government.
"If he had the numbers, he should prove it in Parliament or present it before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"Why make a pre-emptive announcement in the media, triggering the perception of political instability? Political instability could adversely affect investor confidence," he said.
Mr Shahidan said Malaysia could not afford political instability as the Covid-19 pandemic had triggered economic uncertainties worldwide.
Jerantut MP Ahmad Nazlan Idris had also lodged a police report denying he had endorsed any statutory declaration supporting Mr Anwar as the next Prime Minister.
Datuk Ahmad Nazlan said neither Mr Anwar nor his representative had ever approached him to discuss the matter.
"Claims that I support Anwar are not true," he said.
Of the list of 121 MPs allegedly supporting Mr Anwar, 22 were from Umno.
However, 15 Umno MPs have openly denied supporting him to form a new government.
Among Umno MPs who had issued outright denial were Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (Padang Terap), Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (Putrajaya), Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh (Besut), Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (Pasir Salak), Tan Sri Noh Omar (Tanjong Karang), and Datuk Ahmad Maslan (Pontian).
Other Umno MPs who had denied supporting Anwar were Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (Kinabatangan), Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub (Machang), Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria (Parit), Datuk Hasbullah Osman (Gerik), Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin (Rompin), Ramli Mohd Nor (Cameron Highlands), and Datuk Mohamad Alamin (Kimanis).
