Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Mohamed Hashim today named eight MPs, whom he claimed were ready to jump ship in the opposition's bid to take over the government on Sept 16, 2008.

He alleged that this was told to PKR MPs by its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, but it did not materialised. 

The eight were Abdul Ghapur Salleh (Umno-Kalabakan), Anifah Aman (Umno-Kimanis), Bung Moktar Radin (Umno-Kinabatangan), Chua Soon Bui (Sapp-Tawau), Eric Majimbun (Sapp-Sepanggar), Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi (Umno-Batu Pahat), Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar (Umno-Jerantut) and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Umno-Gua Musang).

A Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker was also allegedly among the defectors, said Zahrain when continuing his speech while debating the motion of thanks for the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat.

The whole House broke into laughter when deputy speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar interjected and said, "Which deputy speaker?"

Zahrain claimed that there was a link between online newspaper MalaysiaKini and Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK)'s news portal with the opposition and urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to probe into it.   

'Not BN mercenary'

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby, Zahrain denied that he was a "BN mercenary soldier" as he had been vocal even before he left Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

zahrain hashim parliament 180310 Meanwhile, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution hit back at Zahrain ( left ) by calling him a "BN attack dog".

"Zahrain assumes a new role to denigrate the opposition and his sudden outburst was a marked different from his heydays in the PKR.

"He hardly took part in parliamentary debate for the past two years but all of a sudden he became very vocal.

"When these MPs jumped ship, they were turned into 'attack dogs'. They had prepared text with them and brought up issues which they thought were crucial," added Saifuddin.

Responding to the label "attack dog", Zahrain, "It was unbecoming of him to give me such label. Anyway, it will not stop me. Do respect me as an MP."

- Bernama