Anwar insists Jho Low received Sg Besi airport deal

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim insists that businesses linked to millionaire playboy Low Taek Jho, often referred to as Jho Low, have been awarded the contract for the re-development of the Sungai Besi Airbase.

Speaking at a ceramah in Taman Ehsan, Selayang last night, Anwar said this while denouncing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for being in a hurry to privatise national assets for a quick buck, at the expense of the public who largely remain economically backward.

Anwar said that the list included the Sungai Besi Airport, which he described as a khazanah nasional (national treasure), as it is the nation's first international airport.

"This Jho Low (left) goes around having a good time with Paris Hilton (and spends) millions of ringgit on just alcohol alone. Najib dan Rosmah bagi project. Tender? None. Project proposal? Nothing. Can you accept this?" asked Anwar.

In June, Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the Dewan Rakyat that the airport, now used by the air force, is being relocated and the land will be privatised and sold to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

This was done without open tender, which Ahmad Zahid claims was still a "transparent process" because the deal does not affect the interests of the government.

PKR had claimed that the deal was worth RM500 million and linked it to Low because of his involvement with the Terengganu Investment Authority which was later federalised and became 1MDB.

However in an interview with the Star last week, Low had denied these claims.

Ling's arrest a smoke-screen

Meanwhile, Anwar also claimed that the charging of former transport minister Ling Liong Sik for cheating the cabinet in 2002, was an attempt by the authorities to pull the wool over the eyes of the public.

Coupled with the RM1 million bond imposed on Ling, Anwar said the authorities were trying to depict themselves as serious graft-busters to boost flagging public confidence.

"When I was in Penang, people asked me: 'Aiyo... RM1 million is so high', and I said that amount is nothing to him (Ling)," said Anwar.

Play-acting as Ling, Anwar mockingly said: "Huh? RM1 million? Did you say RM10?"

Anwar said that there were other key players in the potentially RM12 billion Port Klang Free Zone fiasco which Ling is involved in, and several other culprits are still walking free and the public should continue to press for accountability.

"When we questioned them, they say there was no proof. We have been raising this issue repeatedly and only now are they charging someone.

"Why? Because they know that the public is aware (of what is going on) and they now want the public to trust their governance," he said.

Anwar - '007'

Speaking to a jam-packed multiracial crowd in a community hall in Taman Ehsan, Anwar, who was speaking in his capacity as the Selangor economic advisor, spent a significant portion of his 50-minute speech urging his audience to embrace Pakatan Rakyat's multi-racial agenda.

He said it was vital for all races to prosper in tandem, and accused Umno of suppressing the Malay working class and minorities and frequent inflammatory racial rhetoric.

"They have called me a Chinese agent, Indian agent, Jewish agent, CIA agent... If that is the case, they think I'm better than James Bond," he quipped, sending his audience into fits of guffaws.

Prior to Anwar's arrival at the venue, state communications director Badrul Amin Baharom led the crowd in a short candle-light vigil to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Internal Security Act.

Other speakers at the event were state exco members Hasan Ali, Elizabeth Wong, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching and Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution.

courtesy of Malaysiakini