Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has promised to fight graft, today voiced anger after anti-corruption officers detained two people who allegedly offered money to an opposition candidate to withdraw from the polls.

Abdullah said he was "shocked and angry," when asked to comment on an attempt to lure a candidate from the opposition Islamic party PAS to step aside to allow a candidate from his Barisan Nasional to win in Sunday's election.

"I felt sad when I heard the news. We leave it to the Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate and take the necessary action. I will not intervene into the probe," he told reporters following him on his campaign trail in Permatang Pauh, Penang.

'Something more'

The Malay Mail

newspaper today reported that two men were arrested by anti-graft officials in the southern Johor state yesterday.

The two, aged 40 and 50, were caught by the candidate's followers after presenting RM5,000 to the PAS candidate.

It was not clear if the pair belonged to BN which is battling PAS head-on for crucial Malay votes in the polls.

"I don't want to insinuate anything. There are some who say these people were enticed into it. I think there is something more to what meets the eye," he said when asked to comment on a PAS remark that the incident belittles his anti-graft stand. - AFP