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Uproar in Dewan after PH MP accuses Muhyiddin of corruption

A war of words breaks out after Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong brings up the National Integrated Immigration System or NIISe.

Nur Hasliza Mohd Salleh
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MPs trade barbs during the debate on the Supply Bill 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat, Feb 28.
MPs trade barbs during the debate on the Supply Bill 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat, Feb 28.

The debate on the Supply Bill 2023 descended into chaos today after an MP from Pakatan Harapan (PH) accused Pagoh MP Muhyiddin Yassin of involvement in a corruption scandal through the giving of a contract to his son-in-law. 

Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) said Muhyiddin, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman), had been reported in the news as being involved in the award of contract for the National Integrated Immigration System or NIISe.

Several MPs from PN then accused Khoo of being malicious and prejudiced against the former prime minister. 

Pendang MP Awang Solahuddin Hashim also challenged Khoo to repeat his remark both within and outside of the Dewan Rakyat so that Muhyiddin could take legal action against him. 

Khoo refused to retract his statement, and Pengkalan Chepa MP Ahmad Marzuk Shaary urged deputy speaker Alice Lau to issue a ruling in accordance with Meeting Rule 36 (5) and (6) which prohibits members of the house from making malicious allegations against each other. 

"Kota Melaka said Pagoh," Marzuk said. "Retract it or repeat it outside if you are brave enough." 

Muhyiddin himself described Khoo's statement as malicious slander against his credibility. 

"This is a serious accusation aimed at tarnishing my reputation and that of my family just because he read a newspaper," he said. 

"This is an assumption and slander. I wish to state clearly that this is untrue." 

He added that if Khoo repeated his statement outside of the Dewan Rakyat, he would not hesitate to take legal action against him. 

Lau then instructed Khoo to retract his statement, which he did. 

Muhyiddin has repeatedly denied claims of his involvement in the award of the NIISe contract to Iris Corporation Bhd. 

On Feb 15, he reiterated his denial once more in his reponse to Khoo during his debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address. 

"From a legal point of view, this is defamation. I have not said that I want to take legal action because I want to give the new prime minister a chance.

"Not one sen was involved. What was mentioned was a stimulus package, not for us to get contracts," he said.