PUTRAJAYA – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has paid no mind to attempts by certain quarters to topple the current administration through Langkah Dubai.
Describing the move as feeble, Anwar said it would be better for the government to carry out its duty to the people.
“I read about Langkah Dubai through social media – but to me, we focus on work. What they do (certain quarters attempting Langkah Dubai) is insubstantial.
“What’s important is that an important programme for the people has been launched on January 2.
“Our focus is to develop the nation and care for the people,” he told reporters after launching the government’s Central Database Hub (Padu) here today.
Anwar also expressed gratitude for being able to continue serving as prime minister, despite attempts to jeopardise the stability of the unity government.
“Alhamdulillah,” he briefly said.
Recently, Community Communications Department (J-Kom) deputy director general Datuk Ismail Yusop claimed in a Facebook post that a conspiracy was at play to overthrow the unity government.
The conspiracy, dubbed Langkah Dubai, is allegedly a plot masterminded by opposition leaders, he said.
It reportedly involves several members of the government bloc who, according to him, participated in this scheme during their recent vacation to the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
During the visit, a meeting purportedly occurred to assign specific tasks to individuals responsible for identifying government MPs likely to switch their support to the opposition through inducements. This was carried out with the intention of paving the way for a “backdoor government.”
He also said that, in addition to Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders, two-time former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin were collaborating with the opposition, utilising ‘foreign and local sources’ to advance their agenda through this move.
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam later told Scoop that Daim, who is being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for graft and money laundering, was willing to fork out hundreds of millions of ringgit to “buy over” government lawmakers.
“There are allegations saying that Daim is willing to spend RM750 million to buy over 15 government MPs.
“Daim is with (Dr) Mahathir. Both of them are very desperate. Neither of them want to go to jail or be part of the court cluster,” Lokman added.
Several leaders in the unity government denied knowledge of the movement, while the opposition decried the accusations.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said no Umno lawmakers were involved in the move.
“This is an attempt that I think they (involved parties) failed themselves,” he said.
Zahid also said that Putrajaya was already aware of the plan as soon as certain individuals disembarked from their flights in the UAE.
So far, Deputy Human Resources Minister and Lipis MP Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad, as well as former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, have denied involvement in Langkah Dubai. – January 2, 2024