KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — Taunted, scorned, and challenged by Umno over the last five days at its assembly, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders are planning to fight back with a gathering at Stadium Melawati in Shah Alam tonight. Spearheading the open rally to rebut the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government’s allegations are PR’s top echelon leaders, including PKR de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang as well as the Islamist party’s spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
Harakah Daily reported today the programme will start at 7pm and end at midnight.
Attacks against the opposition pact’s three parties served as a focal point for this year’s Umno general assembly, with delegates accusing DAP leaders of marginalising Malays in PR states and challenging the sanctity of Islam as the country’s “official religion”.
Harakah, PAS’ official newspaper, reported Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak leading the assault against PR and singling out Anwar, a former Umno deputy president, in what it described as a “vengeful” assembly.
The paper said Najib, who is also prime minister, accused Anwar of being clever at “crowing” and “lying” during the winding-up speech and recounted the PKR adviser’s September 16 failed takeover bid as a reminder.
Harakah said no party was spared the Umno onslaught last night with Najib’s deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, mocking PAS for being under DAP’s thumb and failing as Islam’s champion.
The paper noted an Umno delegate daring Nik Aziz, who is Kelantan menteri besar, to bow out of the coming polls as he was aged.
The PR leaders are also expected to address tonight Umno’s portrayal of the DAP as a Chinese chauvinist party that is threatening Malay powers.
Harakah reported PR will be hitting the road on a clarification campaign over Umno’s remarks with a rally in Beruas, Perak on December 10 at the Weng Lee sawmill and another in Penang on December 18.
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