Anwar: It's GOOD for Pak Lah to expose Dr M, Umno needs it

UPDATED VIDEO INSERTED KUBANG ULU - Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim praised former prime minister Abdullah Badawi for daring to break his silence on what has so far been regarded as taboo issues in the ruling Umno party - corruption, mega-projects and Mahathir Mohamad.

Anwar, a former Umno deputy president, called on Umno members to accept the "openness" offered by Badawi's soon-to-launched book Awakening: The Abdullah Badawi Years In Malaysia and embrace a more questioning culture.

"I think it is a healthy situation for Tun Dollah to articulate his views, in some ways defending his position against the incessant attacks particularly from Tun Mahathir. So to allow him a forum, I think it would be a health situation to have healthy debate. This has been deferred to after the general election because they did not want it to affect the party morale but knowing Umno, I don't believe they will discuss substantive issues. It is still related to race, projects, pecuniary interests, benefits instead of substantive policy issues because Tun Dollah alluded to the failure to undertake reforms with Umno," Anwar told reporters at a Hari Raya open house in Penang.

"In any healthy and vibrant party, they should engage in policy issues and I think this is the failure of Umno because of the lack of capacity to understand serious debate on policy issues. Hopefully with the initiative taken by Tun Dollah, with his assessment would encourage more vibrant debate and questioning of the relevance of a party with obsolete ideas, racism and religious bigotry.

Is Pak Lah siding Najib against Dr M in the Umno election?

In the book, the 74-year-old Badawi had minced no words criticizing his predecessor Mahathir Mohamad, who had ruled Malaysia for 22 years from 1981 to 2003. The 88-year-old Mahathir had stamped his mark and dominance over Umno with his brand of despotic rule. Until today, few dare to speak up against him or his mistakes, fearing his vindictive streak and famous back lashes.

Anwar, who had been one of the few who had stood up to Mahathir, was thrown into jail on trumped-up sodomy charges in 1998 and freed only after Badawi took over as PM.

When asked if the book and the timing of its release was a signal from Badawi that he supported Prime Minister Najib Razak's fight to retain the Umno presidency when the party holds its internal polls in October, Anwar declined to give a direct response.

Najib is widely expected to face a challenge, most likely from his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin. Many Umno insiders have speculated Muhyiddin has obtained the 'blessings' of Mahathir and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin to challenge Najib.

"I don't necessarily share all his views, I am only supporting the need for a healthy vibrant debate which is not encouraged by Umno or which is not a tradition with the Umno-controlled media which is the rule of (character) assassination, propaganda and attack against the Opposition and Opposition leaders. For an ex-Umno president to acknowledge the failure of Umno to undertake serious reform, I think this is an issue that must be debated with Umno circles," said Anwar.

Of Nurul and Dr M

When asked about his daughter Nurul Izzah, the Lembah Pantai MP, agreeing to officiate Badawi's book launch in Singapore on August 30, Anwar said he had no objection.

"It's her decision, I have no say in what she wants to do particularly as this is not a biography. It is not written by Abdullah but by some others. She mentioned it in passing but for information, not for a decision," said anwar.

When asked how he thinks Mahathir should respond to Badawi's criticisms so that Umno and Malaysia as a whole could benefit, Anwar implied that the strong-minded Mahathir was practically a law unto himself and would hardly welcome any advice.

"Well I don't think Mahathir would accept any other views, except his (own). So let him respond," said Anwar.

Dr M would have bankrupted Malaysia

Badawi's book, which contains 35 essays, is due to hit the stands later this month. Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah, who is also the Lembah Pantai MP, has been invited to launch the book in Singapore.

Badawi touched on many areas and issues in his book. But the most controversial and telling were his comments on how Mahathir had tried to bully him into giving the green light for certain mega projects.

"Can you imagine, if I had succumbed to Mahathir’s continued pressure to spend when the deficit was already so high, how could Malaysia have weathered the oil and financial crisis which subsequently came in 2008?" Badawi said in the book edited by Bridget Welsh and Wong Chin Huat.

“The deficit which we brought down to 3.2 percent crept up again due to subsidies for oil and essentials and hovered again at the 5 percent level. If we had not been prudent then, continued to spend, I can tell you we would be bankrupt by now."

Malaysia Chronicle