'My name is Anwar and I'm not a terrorist'

Hazlan Zakaria

Poking fun at the federal government latest claim against him - that he has 'terrorist' links - PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim quoted a line from the Bollywood blockbuster 'My Name is Khan'.

"My name is Anwar and I am not a terrorist," he said, mimicking the character played by Indian mega-star Shah Rukh Khan.

The performance was received with roars of laughter from the thousand-strong PKR crowd attending the maiden run of the party leadership's road show in Petaling Jaya last night.

Anwar was responding to a statement by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein that he will be probed for suspected links to a 'terrorist group' originating from Saudi Arabia.

The minister had said last week: "I have asked the terrorist task force and I have asked the special branch, and they are linking up with Saudi (Arabia's) intelligence to find out to what extent Anwar is linked to this terrorist group.”

Hishammuddin was responding to a CNN report which had claimed to have had sight of documents purporting that a secret Saudi Arabian probe was launched after premier Najib Abdul Razak's complaint that personalities in the kingdom were funding Anwar.

Hishammuddin admitted he had yet gone through the footage, but the CNN report also said the probe had not found any evidence of such links.

The PKR leadership has rubbished the claim as being just another 'get Anwar witch hunt'.

Panadol and PD

Commenting on jibes by Najib that he(Anwar) would be "disrobed" and "struck down by fever" should they go mano-a-mano in a debate on the economy and Pakatan Rakyat's 100-day reform pledge, Anwar lobbed back barbs of his own.

"I shall ask (wife and PKR president Dr) Wan Azizah (Wan Ismail) for a bottle of Panadol and I shall down them all to take care of the fever.

"Is Najib an expert at disrobing? This is an economic issue, it is not about personal issues. This is not a hotel room in PD," said Anwar as the crowd jeered at the premier.

He reiterated that he is willing to extend the debate to personal matters if that is what Najib wants.

"We can debate the Orange Book and then we can also debate personal issues...We shall see who is struck down by fever and who is disrobed," he said.

These assaults on his character, said Anwar, are another of BN's desperate strategies to discourage him from continuing his struggle.

"They can do their worst. What else can they do to me? They have imprisoned me, punched me, kicked me, stripped me naked and the last time they even measured... (my body parts, for the sodomy trial)."

However, he said he would not be as cruel as BN, should Pakatan come into power.

"I will not imprison him (Najib). I shall send him as our ambassador to Mongolia instead," he quipped.

Despite the incessant attacks by BN, defections and internal strife, Anwar assured party members that PKR has emerged stronger, ready to face whatever that the ruling coalition throws at it.

"We are now strong and we shall put our best machinery and leaders to serve," he said.

Anwar also repeated warnings that all non-performers must buck up or face the axe.

"You perform, you stay; you don't perform, you go," he said.

But he again accepted part of the blame - and apologised - for having chosen weak leaders who have since hopped out of the party.