Anwar warns of Umno voices in the ranks

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today went for the jugular when he warned elements within Pakatan Rakyat against giving in to political fatigue and losing steam in the fight against electoral fraud.

The Opposition Leader did not mince his words and called those with wavering spirit, the voices of Umno in the coalition of PKR, PAS and DAP.

"There are some among us who are talking about ‘moving forward’. I would like to remind them that if they were to remain in Pakatan, moving forward without understanding the realities of the past is impossible.

"The people who are only talking about ‘moving forward’ is the same as what Husam said, they are the voices of Umno in Pakatan and we must have courage to reject and deflect this, " Malaysiakini quoted him as saying.

The Opposition leader was speaking at the Pakatan Rakyat's convention in Kuala Lumpur.

His comments came in the wake of the Black 5O5 gathering yesterday where an estimated 50,000 people turned out, smaller than the expected crowd. This has led the mainstream media to call the rally a failure and for pundits to say that political fatigue was taking its tool on the Opposition's drive for electoral reform.

But Anwar told Pakatan Rakyat elected representatives not to lose sight of the big picture.

"The persecution of Pakatan leaders continues despite the government being a minority one... we cannot concede. In politics this is called political fatigue. When it infects Pakatan Rakyat, people will ways to reduce the fatigue or "find" income," he said.

Combating fatigue among the party faithful and isolating Pakatan leaders likely to be tempted with offers of position and wealth is going to be a major challenge for Anwar and other like-minded leaders in the opposition.

 There has been speculation that the Barisan National government is willing to offer government positions to Pakatan Rakyat politicians who are willing to cross over. - June 23, 2013.