Selangor Menteri Besar plans to sue over polls bribe allegation

SHAH ALAM - Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim plans to sue PKR Kuala Selangor division chief S. Manikavasagam for accusing him of practising money politics in the party polls over the weekend.

Khalid announced his decision yesterday via Facebook, saying: "Saya telah arahkan peguam untuk menghantar Notis Tuntutan Saman kepada Manikavasagam kerana menuduh saya melakukan rasuah membeli pengundi (I have instructed my lawyer to send a suit notice to Manikavasagam for accusing me of trying to buy voters with money)."

On the day of the state PKR polls, Manikavasagam told the media that Khalid's men had tried to buy votes by offering voters RM50 (S$19) each.

He said RM30 (S$11) was for people to vote for Khalid at the federal level and RM20 (S$8) at the division level.

Khalid, who arrived at the Kuala Selangor polling centre later, denied the allegation and asked Manikavasagam to produce evidence. Manikavasagam then played a video recording that carried the voice of Khalid's aide, offering RM50 (S$19) to voters. However, he could not confirm if voters took the bribe.

Manikavasagam handed over the "evidence" to the PKR central election committee after receiving advice from it and the party's disciplinary unit.

"I have discussed the matter with the committee. I want to bring this issue forward through a legal channel," he said, adding that he was "not shaken by such threats (of being sued), as I have evidence".