KOTA BAHARU, 19 MARCH, 2010: Gua Musang Member of Parliament Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah  (pic) today dismissed as a tall tale a claim that he was among eight Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs set to cross over to enable the opposition form the federal government in 2008.

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"I do not want to comment on it. I have been with Umno for 48 years. The claim is a tall tale," he told reporters.

Independent MP for Bayan Baru Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim had named the eight BN MPs in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, claiming that they had been set to cross over on Sept 16, 2008.

Tengku Razaleigh said that if indeed the claim was true, he would now be holding a senior position in the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the PKR de facto leader.

In making the claim yesterday, Zahrain, formerly of PKR, had named Datuk Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan), Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (BN-Kimanis), Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan), Datuk Chua Soon Bui (Bebas-Tawau), Datuk Enchin Majimbun (Bebas-Sepanggar), Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi (BN-Batu Pahat) and Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar (BN-Jerantut). The eighth person mentioned by Zahrain was one of the deputy speakers of the Dewan Rakyat.

Tengku Razaleigh also denied that he had been approached and coaxed to join PKR to enable the opposition to form the federal government about seven months after the general election in 2008.

"I'm not for sale and not available. If the claim is true, I would have been a leader in PKR," he said.
 

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