One of the two former Perak PKR legislators who quit the party in February was alleged to have received a monetary reward from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for his defection and decision to become a BN-friendly independent assemblyperson.

bukit gantang pas lee boon chye ceramah 010409 02 Disclosing this, Gopeng member of parliament Lee Boon Chye said the ex-PKR man had informed a confidante about the deal and even complained about the method of payment.

Lee alleged that the offer amounted to RM3 million, with an understanding that he would also be freed of a graft charge against him.

"Let’s wait and see whether it is true or not. We will know when they go to court again," said PKR vice-president Lee at a party dinner in Bukit Mertajam last night.

He claimed that the executive councillor, whom he did not name, had bemoaned the cash deal even though it was RM3 million, because Najib did not pay him in one lump sum. It was instead paid through bi-monthly instalments of RM100,000.

Asked to elaborate, Lee said several Malay-based non-government organisations had disclosed the information last week and had called for a royal panel of inquiry.

"I believe the witnesses would be willing to testify," he said.

'Not guilty' plea

jamaluddin mohd radzi In February, PKR legislators Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi ( left ) and Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu had quit the party to become BN-friendly independent candidates, alongside DAP’s Jelapang assemblyperson Hee Yit Fong.

Their defections caused the fall of the Pakatan Rakyat state government in Perak after BN claimed that it had the majority (28 plus three) support to rule the state. This has since created a political impasse.

Last August, Jamaluddin, Mohd Osman and three others were charged with a total of 16 counts of corruption in relation to a RM180 million housing project spanning 36 hectares in Sri Iskandar township, located about 30 minutes' drive south of Ipoh.

The others were PKR Parit division chief and former Bota assemblyperson Usaili Alias, Perak Tengah district councillor Zul Hassan and State Economic Development Corporation technician Ruslan Sahat.

All five have claimed trial to the charges and are out on bail.

Five charges involve alleged bribes of between RM400 and RM10,000, and demand for sexual favours through one Mohamad Imran Abdullah, in return for approving a building project in Sri Iskandar town. This is an offence under Section 10(a)(aa) of the Anti-Corruption Act.

Two charges were for alleged receipt of a RM2,000 bribe and demand for sexual favours via Mohamad Imran, while technician Ruslan was slapped with seven counts of graft involving sex and cash.

The offences allegedly took place on Aug 14, 2008 at the Sri Sayang Apartment in Batu Ferringhi, Penang.

sivakumar ceramah dinner in penanti by election 270509 03 At a Penanti by-election rally in Kubang Ulu last night, ousted former Perak speaker V Sivakumar also raised suspicion about the prolonged delay in hearing the case.

And he was cynical about fast-track court hearings and decisions on virtually all civil suits filed by himself and deposed Perak menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin in seeking legal remedies to their status.

"Why is it that our cases were dealt with at 'express train' speed while the corruption case involving two former excos has yet to come up for hearing?

"Their case was mentioned last year, a long time before our suits were even filed. It’s so strange," Sivakumar told some 1,000 villagers, as he expressed concern about hidden hands at work in all these cases.