Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wants the names of the 20 Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament (MPs) alleged by certain people to be involved in a plot to topple the government to be cleared.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Home Minister, stressed that the move to clear the names of the individuals concerned was crucial because all of them were not involved in the move by the irresponsible group.
“None of the 20 BN MPs, as stated in a certain blog, had been approached for payment to sign the statutory declaration (to topple the government).
“I wish to confirm that none of the 20 MPs had signed the statutory declaration (SD). Thus, their names should be cleared,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers and Illegal Immigrants, here yesterday.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also an Umno vice-president, said this when commenting on a certain blog report which listed 20 names of BN MPs as being among the individuals collaborating with the opposition to pass a vote of no-confidence on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during the Dewan Rakyat sitting in October.
In addition, the group was also reported to be planning to collect the signatures of the MPs concerned for the SD which would be presented to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah.
On Saturday, when opening the Delegates Meeting of the Ampang Umno division in the federal capital, Ahmad Zahid disclosed that there was a movement to topple the government by the opposition masterminded by an Umno leader who was also a BN leader.
He said the plan was carried out to obtain statutory declarations from the opposition MPs and to attract BN MPs to support their move to topple the government via the ‘back door’.
When asked on the calls by numerous groups that he disclosed the name of the ‘individual’ concerned, Ahmad Zahid pointed out that it could not be done for fear that it might affect police investigation on the matter.
“There were reports made to the police and when there are reports, an investigation must be carried out.
“An investigation has been initiated and (the investigation papers) will be handed over to the Attorney-General for the purpose of prosecution,” he said, adding that all information that he had obtained had been handed over to the police.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said that the meeting of a ‘certain person’, who was alleged to be planning to topple the government, with the Prime Minister on Sunday had been aborted at the request of the person himself.
“Although I was made to understand that journalists had gathered at the personal residence of the prime minister in Jalan Duta and at his official residence in Seri Perdana to see who the individual concerned was, the appointment had been cancelled.
“I don’t know when the new meeting will be held, but I am certain there will be a meeting,” added Ahmad Zahid. — Bernama