The Opposition Leader believes Malaysians too can overthrow a corrupt regime.
KOTA KINABALU: PKR de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim told Malaysians that they are as capable as anyone else to topple any corrupt and oppressive regime if they so wished.
However, he said that this could only be achieved if Malaysians of all races and different religious beliefs discard their parochial racial and religious thinking and sentiment, and work together as a
team to oust Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).
“Justice is only meaningful if we can rid ourselves of parochial racial and religious sentiments. If we fight Umno because of racial sentiments, we will not only lose but we will also have no moral basis to fight racism.
“We will win this battle in the next election so long as the Muslims and non-Muslims can work together as a team.”
Citing the recent overthrow of Egypt’s former president Hosni Mubarak, which had seemed impossible in the past, he said that Malaysians too could do the same to their leaders.
“This may seem difficult but just look at Egypt where, before this, it too seemed to be impossible, but the people of Egypt rose up and ousted a despotic Mubarak whom they considered the ‘Little Paraoh’ or God.
“We have to make it this round, we have to save Sabah and Sabahans from the corrupt rule of Umno and BN. We need to understand that we all can bring about change. Never think that this
is impossible. It can happen,” he said.
Anwar was delivering a keynote speech at the “native customary right (NCR) land” forum organised by Sabah PKR, here last night. Some 400 people, mostly natives of Sabah, attended the one-day forum.
Also present were Anwar’s wife-cum-PKR pPresident Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Sabah PKR deputy chairperson Christina Liew; presidential council members Kong Hong Ming and Dr Roland Chia; Ansari Abdullah, Ahmad Thamrin Jaini; Youth chief Jeffrey Jomion, Kota Kinabalu MP Dr Hiew King Cheu, Sabah-based anti-illegal immigrants activist Dr Chong Eng Leong , and Sarawak-based NCR land activist Nicholas Mujah.
Better future
Anwar, the Opposition Leader, also said that the people should not to fall prey to the racial and religious ssentiment fanned by the ruling regime by pitching one race or religion against another.
“This country belongs to all of us. When the leaders play up racial sentiment, the people at the bottom will quarrel among themselves and the leaders will take the opportunity to rob (the people),” he said.
Anwar said that the only solution to all the perennial and pressing issues like widespread corruption, NCR land dispute, high inflation rate are currently affecting the country, and Sabah in particular, is to change the present regime.
“Why do we PKR, PAS and DAP fight Umno? We fight Umno simply because it is a corrupted, racist party. We want to safeguard fairness and justice for all Malaysians.
“We want all the ethnic groups in Sabah to have a better life and a better future for their children. Sabah is supposed to enjoy billions in revenue from its rich natural resources like timber, fertile land, gas and oil, but the majority of its people are still living in poverty,” he said.
He cited the significant achievement and improvement in the Pakatan Rakyat-ruled Selangor and Penang where political change was possible with the ousting of Umno in the last general election.
He said that in order to change their fate for the better, Sabahans must elect leaders, irrespective of their race and religious beliefs, who are clean, credible and have a sense of justice.
Clean leader
Anwar, who is Permatang Pauh MP, said although a Malay himself, he has no qualms supporting Lim Guan Eng, who is Chinese, as the Chief Minister.
He said this was simply because Lim is a clean leader who has never taken away people’s land
and was taking good care of the various communities.
“When Guan Eng took over the helm as Penang chief minister, the state finance had a deficit of RM1 billion but now it has a surplus of RM2 billion. This is the marked difference between what Pakatan has achieved within three years and what Umno-BN has done for the last 50 years of its rule,” he said.
He urged Sabah PKR leaders to inform the masses on the ground that the general election is around the corner.
He said should Pakatan form the government at the federal level, it would accord autonomy to individual states to govern their own affairs.
“We will give 20% oil royalty to the three oil-producing states in accordance with proper rules and stringent procedures. There will be proper tender for government projects and procurements.
“If you give it to family members we will sack you. Whoever is corrupted will be out. You can run the state and decide on the policies but you got to follow the rules. That’s why power must be at the central level,” he said.
He drew parallels between Egypt and Malaysia, pointing out that its state-controlled media constantly fed the Egyptians with propaganda in favour of Mubarak and his government even though the people were actually living in hardship. Besides, its institutions like the Election Commission constantly worked hard to keep the regime in power.
“That’s democracy in Egypt, which is quite similar to our system. Their media and Election Commission are the same like ours – their people were suffering but the government just couldn’t be bothered.
“Two months ago, when the people of Egypt talked about Mubarak, he was (regarded as) a ‘Great Leader’ but now he turned out to be a ‘Great Robber’. They spat on him when they realised that he had siphoned out between US$40 billion and US$70 billion out of the country.
“Mubarak and his wife, Suzanne, who’s famous for her flamboyant sanggul (hair bun), often appeared on national TV; nobody else. Please, I’m talking about Egypt, here, do you get it?” he said to applause and laughter.
‘Pubic hair trial’
Referring to PKR’s stand on the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims in the country, he said that if both he and Guan Eng were travelling in the same car, the latter can always utter the word “Insya Allah”, but the moment they entered Perak, Guan Eng will have to utter “Insya God”. The audience laughed.
Speaking about the ongoing Sodomy II trial which he described as a “pubic hair trial”, Anwar said it was yet another unscrupulous and desperate ploy by the ruling regime to discredit and demonise him.
He criticised the mainstream media for not bothering to report the fact that the police had recorded statement from Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor.
He also cried foul over the use of his DNA in the trial which he said could be easily obtained and planted on another person.
“But for Dr Chua Soi Lek (MCA president) who was caught on tape (committing illicit sex), there was no case,” he said, to another round of applause.
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