An unemployed man is in the soup after he allegedly threatened Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Member of Parliament Michael Palmer (picture) at a Meet-The-People session.

On Monday evening, Mr Zuo Hong Bao — who told Today that he had gone to look for Mr Palmer "more than 10 times" previously — met the MP and asked if he could borrow money from the MP to pay off his debts or "do some investments".

Mr Zuo, 36, said in Mandarin: "I asked if he could lend me $20,000 ... I said I would return the money, plus interest, after three years. He told me: 'The Government doesn't do such things. Please go out'."

Conceding that he was "a little angry" and had raised his voice, Mr Zuo added: "I told him: 'You remember this!'"

Mr Zuo, who lives in Sengkang, said he received a call to go down to Ang Mo Kio police station yesterday to assist in police investigations. But he refused to turn up.

Mr Zuo went to the media with his version of the incident.

The police confirmed a report had been lodged and it was looking into the matter.

According to the MP, it was one of his grassroots leaders who made the report. Said Mr Palmer: "I told him that we don't lend money. I said: 'Thank you very much' and asked him to leave. So he uttered something."

Stressing that he "didn't really want to make a big issue out of it", Mr Palmer said: "The police will take their own action if they feel it necessary, but I told them I'm not making a complaint, or anything."

In 2006, a 74-year-old taxi driver was charged in court after he punched Yio Chu Kang MP Seng Han Thong in the face during a Meet-The-People session. The man, who had sought Mr Seng's help about a revoked taxi licence, was acquitted after he agreed to Mr Seng's undisclosed terms. - TODAY/ra