The New Straits Times
There were no hints of the oncoming shouting match which culminated in Anwar, the opposition leader, staging a walkout when Zahrain began his speech. Zahrain spoke in measured tones, describing Sept 16 as a “spectacle”.
He said the primary motivation of Pakatan was to wrest “Putrajaya” at all costs.
A number of Pakatan leaders, including Tian Chua (Batu), Saifuddin Nasution (Machang) and Elizabeth Wong (assemblyman, Bukit Lanjan) were sent to track down BN parliamentarians in Taiwan, he added.
Zahrain said Pakatan MPs were “made use of, manipulated and told enough BN MPs” wanted to cross over to Pakatan.
“We (Pakatan MPs) were told to wait in Parliament for the takeover,” said Zahrain, who left Parti Keadilan Rakyat on Feb 12.
As Zahrain’s account in the house deepened, Pakatan MPs began interrupting him, tossing accusations and interjecting loudly, compelling Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee, who was presiding, to ask everybody to calm down.
The essence of the Pakatan protest was that Zahrain's statement had no connection with the royal address, that he should not be dragging the king into the political episode and that he was lying.
As Tian Chua and N. Gobalakrishnan (Padang Serai) heckled Zahrain, Anwar, too, rose to his feet, offering his comments.
Zahrain, the former head of Penang PKR, continued with his narration of the Sept 16 episode, forcing a standoff with Anwar.
Anwar said Zahrain was only interested in power and position, prompting the Bayan Baru MP to retaliate: "You don't lie!"
Anwar walked out of the house at this juncture to jeers from the backbenchers.
Datuk Mohamad Aziz (BN-Seri Gading) told the house that the MPs should give Zahrain a chance to speak.
"If we can bear with a three-hour speech by Anwar, why can't we listen to what the Bayan Baru MP has to say?
"Look at the unruly behaviour of the opposition MPs. They are not qualified to govern the country. This is just too much."
Anwar told reporters later that Zahrain should name those parliamentarians supposedly told to get ready for the takeover.
"Nobody was here... which particular armed forces chief (was he referring to)?"
Earlier in the house, Zahrain said he left PKR as he had doubts about the sincerity of their struggle, which had begun to resemble the fight to champion the cause of an individual.
When Gobalakrishnan said the opposition had evidence to show that Zahrain, through his RM2 company, had applied for a contract for the Bukit Jambul golf course, Zahrain challenged Gobalakrishnan to repeat his claims outside the house so that he could take legal action.
"I will not sell my race, religion and country for a contract."
When Zahrain said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was a "chauvinist, racist, anti-Islam and communist thinking", Tian Chua asked why he accepted Lim's nomination of him for a "Datuk Seri" title award by the Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri.
"I accepted the title as it was awarded by the Yang Dipertua Negeri and not the Batu or Bagan MP.
"The Bagan MP (Lim) has slandered me and my family, and I have instructed my lawyer to take legal action against him," Zahrain said.
Kiandee told Zahrain to continue with his speech today as the house was to adjourn.
Ex-Pakatan MP recounts the promised takeover of Putrajaya
KUALA LUMPUR: A former Pakatan Rakyat member of parliament reconstructed in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday the events surrounding the promised takeover by Pakatan on Sept 16, 2008, saying he and other Pakatan MPs were told the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong was waiting at Istana Negara for confirmation on the number of Barisan Nasional MPs crossing over.
Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim, speaking as an independent MP for the first time, said Pakatan MPs were told that the king had consented to the swearing-in of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the sixth prime minister.
Pakatan MPs, made to believe Sept 16 was a reality, were told that the armed forces chief, too, backed the takeover.
There were no hints of the oncoming shouting match which culminated in Anwar, the opposition leader, staging a walkout when Zahrain began his speech. Zahrain spoke in measured tones, describing Sept 16 as a “spectacle”.
He said the primary motivation of Pakatan was to wrest “Putrajaya” at all costs.
A number of Pakatan leaders, including Tian Chua (Batu), Saifuddin Nasution (Machang) and Elizabeth Wong (assemblyman, Bukit Lanjan) were sent to track down BN parliamentarians in Taiwan, he added.
Zahrain said Pakatan MPs were “made use of, manipulated and told enough BN MPs” wanted to cross over to Pakatan.
“We (Pakatan MPs) were told to wait in Parliament for the takeover,” said Zahrain, who left Parti Keadilan Rakyat on Feb 12.
As Zahrain’s account in the house deepened, Pakatan MPs began interrupting him, tossing accusations and interjecting loudly, compelling Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee, who was presiding, to ask everybody to calm down.
The essence of the Pakatan protest was that Zahrain's statement had no connection with the royal address, that he should not be dragging the king into the political episode and that he was lying.
As Tian Chua and N. Gobalakrishnan (Padang Serai) heckled Zahrain, Anwar, too, rose to his feet, offering his comments.
Zahrain, the former head of Penang PKR, continued with his narration of the Sept 16 episode, forcing a standoff with Anwar.
Anwar said Zahrain was only interested in power and position, prompting the Bayan Baru MP to retaliate: "You don't lie!"
Anwar walked out of the house at this juncture to jeers from the backbenchers.
Datuk Mohamad Aziz (BN-Seri Gading) told the house that the MPs should give Zahrain a chance to speak.
"If we can bear with a three-hour speech by Anwar, why can't we listen to what the Bayan Baru MP has to say?
"Look at the unruly behaviour of the opposition MPs. They are not qualified to govern the country. This is just too much."
Anwar told reporters later that Zahrain should name those parliamentarians supposedly told to get ready for the takeover.
"Nobody was here... which particular armed forces chief (was he referring to)?"
Earlier in the house, Zahrain said he left PKR as he had doubts about the sincerity of their struggle, which had begun to resemble the fight to champion the cause of an individual.
When Gobalakrishnan said the opposition had evidence to show that Zahrain, through his RM2 company, had applied for a contract for the Bukit Jambul golf course, Zahrain challenged Gobalakrishnan to repeat his claims outside the house so that he could take legal action.
"I will not sell my race, religion and country for a contract."
When Zahrain said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was a "chauvinist, racist, anti-Islam and communist thinking", Tian Chua asked why he accepted Lim's nomination of him for a "Datuk Seri" title award by the Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri.
"I accepted the title as it was awarded by the Yang Dipertua Negeri and not the Batu or Bagan MP.
"The Bagan MP (Lim) has slandered me and my family, and I have instructed my lawyer to take legal action against him," Zahrain said.
Kiandee told Zahrain to continue with his speech today as the house was to adjourn.
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