Get rid of Umno since it won’t defend rule of law, says Anwar

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivers his speech during the Bukit Gelugor by-election campaign at Han Chiang school in George Town, Penang, yesterday. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, May 23, 2014.A government that will not defend the rule of law has to go, says opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in reference to the intrusion into the Penang legislative assembly by Umno Youth members on Wednesday.

A government had to defend and uphold the rights, dignity and honour of every single citizen, Anwar said.

On Wednesday, a group of about 60 barged into the legislative building to protest against DAP Penang's Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer use of  “Umno celaka” (Umno be damned) in an assembly sitting on Tuesday.

On Thursday, a group of Umno Youth members protested at the DAP headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

Anwar said Umno was getting desperate.

"Umno will deflect issues of governance, corruption and abuse of power, and they will do it the 'samseng' (gangster) way," he said at a ceramah last night at Han Chiang school for the Bukit Gelugor by-election.

Anwar, who is Permatang Pauh MP, said Pakatan Rakyat fought against corrupt and extremist politics.

He said throughout the by-election campaigns, namely in Teluk Intan where DAP has fielded a Malay candidate, there have been efforts to create anxiety among Malays and Chinese.

“This is not a fight between the Chinese and Malay, nor is it a fight between DAP and Umno.

"It is not about the Chinese or Malays but about a fight for all Malaysians," he said.

Anwar said there have been attempts to instil fear in the Chinese to shut them.

"The Chinese don't talk so much, we have Malay samseng.

"We want to tell them (Barisan Nasional) that the Chinese, Malays, Indians and other races will rise and oppose them.”

Anwar also took a swipe at Deputy Prime Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for saying that it was inappropriate for a lawyer and elected rep (Rayer) to make the “Umno celaka” remark.

Muhyiddin said yesterday he understood the Umno Youth’s reaction, adding that the party would not stay silent.

Anwar said: "What about Pakatan Rakyat leaders who suffered injustice and abuse?"

Anwar, who is de facto PKR leader, also made fun of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who said in Tokyo the government would fight corruption.

"Was he joking? He said they want to fight corruption in Tokyo but in Malaysia, it is not done," he said, adding that the families of ministers were not rich but billionaires.

He asked voters to send Umno a message by giving the DAP's Bukit Gelugor candidate Ramkarpal Singh a handsome and convincing victory.

Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng later related what had happened at the Penang legislative assembly building when the Umno Youth members trespassed it.

He said the trespassers did not know the seating arrangement in the house.

When they kicked up a ruckus, one of the men took the opposition leader's (and Barisan Nasional rep Datuk Jahara Hamid) bag to throw at someone.

"This is what the Malays say 'padan muka dia' (serves one right)," he said.

Ramkarpal is defending his late father’s parliamentary seat. Karpal Singh died in an accident last month.