Independent parliamentarians Zahrain Mohd Hashim and Zulkifli Noordin have denied any part in Umno's roadshow to "expose" Pakatan Rakyat.

News portal the Malaysian Insider had reported Umno Selangor information chief Abd Shukor Idrus as saying yesterday that the MPs have been roped in help topple Pakatan's administration in the state.

Lashing out at the report, Zulkifli said it was "character assassination".

"This is unethical reporting... there is a hidden, twisted agenda in it. We know because of the revelations we have made, these little pharaohs have resorted to twisting facts. Even the RM2 million accusations by the Opposition Leader (Anwar Ibrahim) cannot be answered," he said.

Zulkifli contended that Pakatan was behind the report, adding that no clarification was made with him or with Zahrain.

"This is not a news report, it's an analysis. The statements are not true," he said.

Although the report had quoted Abdul Shukor as saying that the duo would assist Umno "to open the public's eyes to the lies" of Pakatan, they denied that they were biased to any political party and insisted that they have not met Abdul Shukor.

"We have criticised the government on several occasions. Zahrain has been very vocal about Sime Darby. We are taking an independent position. It's a shame that some people have their own twisted agenda to serve their political masters.

"Konsensus Bebas (Independent Consensus) appreciates the work of reporters and we respect their rights, but do not use dirty political tactics. This is not news, it is an accusation," said Zulkifli, who is the Kulim Bandar Baru MP.

Bayan Baru's Zahrain demanded that the portal retract the news report, but he did not insist on an apology.