Najib blames Anwar for Bersih rally aftermath

Najib called the PKR leader a “great actor,” saying he doubted the seriousness of his injuries during his address today. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak blamed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for yesterday’s rally in the city, and accused the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) of orchestrating it in a calculated move to ensure the opposition leader becomes prime minister.

In a no-holds barred speech today, the prime minister did not mince his words, and launched verbal attacks against his political foe as well as electoral reform group Bersih.

Although Anwar’s name was not directly mentioned, analogies and innuendos by Najib suggested that he was referring to the one-time deputy prime minister.

“This is the person who is the cause of why we are faced with this problem (Bersih), because he wants to fulfil his lust of becoming prime minister.

“This is his last chance. He knows if he does not do something, we will win the next GE ... he will do anything, the end justifies the means,” Najib told a 6,000-strong delegation of Umno leaders, members and Malay NGOs here.

The Umno president mocked reports of injuries sustained by Anwar during yesterday’s rally and called the PKR leader a “great actor.”

“He should get the Oscar award for the best actor. He only got a little bit of tear gas, and there’s a neck brace and his face is all contorted, as though he got beaten up,” said Najib, laughing while imitating Anwar’s facial expressions.

The PM pointed out that Anwar had yet to answer allegations of fraud and corruption within his own party’s internal elections, as well as the sex video case and his on-going sodomy trial.

“Every time the government is made to look bad, while he is the best human being, a gift from God,” mocked Najib.

“Who is (Datuk) Ambiga (Sreevanesan)? Supposedly leading a body that wants fair and free elections … how clean are those who are pointing the finger at us?” he added.

Bersih had claimed a turnout of 50,000 for their street demonstration which went ahead without police permission.

The coalition of 62 NGOs decided to take to the streets despite previously accepting Najib’s offer to move the street rally to a stadium after the government refused to allow the gathering to take place in Stadium Merdeka.

“I never promised Stadium Merdeka ... they could have held it in Penang, Shah Alam or Kelantan, where Pakatan is the incumbent. Why Stadium Merdeka? Because of its symbolism,” said Najib.

Critics of the prime minister believe that the government’s heavy-handed intervention, including hundreds of arrests since July 1, which led to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s call for negotiations between Putrajaya and Bersih, is a blow to his credibility.