IPOH: Those who claim they were forced to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia when seeking assistance from the Tambun parliamentary service centre need to prove the allegation, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu (pic).

       The Bersatu deputy president and Tambun MP said he had never instructed any of his staff at the service centre to do such a thing.

       “No Bersatu member had also been instructed to do that,” he said when asked about the allegation by PKR’s Hulu Kinta assemblyman Muhammad Arafat Varisai Muhamad that some constituents in the Tambun parliamentary constituency were told to join Bersatu as a condition to receive assistance.

       Muhammad Arafat claimed that many people had told him that they were being forced to become Bersatu members, were made members unknowingly, or tricked into becoming members.

       “Over 90 people have approached me. I have video recordings of their confessions, as well as the forms they were made to sign to become members.

       “Some in desperation for aid, especially during the pandemic, were forced to become members, while some were unaware they were members until lately, and some signed the forms thinking they were forms to be submitted to the Welfare Department,” he told a press conference yesterday.

       Muhammad Arafat had with him four people – former army personnel R. Ganeson, 52, who is disabled; trader Mahani Abdul Hamid, 42; housewife Hafedah Ahmad, 36; and Ahamad Zaini Abdul Hamid, 31 – who claimed they were forced to become Bersatu members.

       Ganeson, who lost his right leg in an accident, claimed he had asked for assistance from the centre in November last year, and a representative who came to his house put forth a condition that he had to become a Bersatu member first for easier aid distribution in the future.

       “Out of desperation I had no choice but to become a member, and I was given a food box, and after that I did not receive any help despite asking for assistance,” he alleged.

       Mahani said she had her mother and a disabled brother to look after, and when she wanted to enrol in some courses offered by the centre, she was told to become a member first.

       “I am only selling ‘kuih-muih’ and the sole breadwinner and I had gone to the centre to get help, but when they put forth the condition, I refused to become a member,” she said, adding that she never received any aid.

       Ahmad Faizal, who is also Youth and Sports Minister, said those who claimed that they were forced to join Bersatu could lodge a police report on the matter.

       He also told Muhammad Arafat to focus on helping the poor and rendering his services to the people instead of calling for a press conference and making such allegations.

       “We have not seen (Muhammad) Arafat in the state assembly sitting for months due to his vaccination status and now he is making such allegations.

       “If the people have come across any of my staff using their MyKad for any wrong purpose, they can lodge a police report,” he said.

       It was reported that Muhammad Arafat has yet to be vaccinated against Covid-19.