Chang ends hunger strike, says Allah protected him

Lawyer says he is now ready to fight tooth and nail alongside his client Khairuddin Abu Hassan to expose the abuses of power by the Najib Razak regime.

PETALING JAYA: Lawyer Matthias Chang has said that he survived a gruelling seven-day hunger strike because Allah protected him and that he was now ready to fight tooth and nail against abuses of power by Prime Minister Najib Razak and his regime.

“Since no persons named (accepted my challenge) and since I have survived my hunger strike for seven days and have not suffered any serious injury to my health, this is evidence that Allah has protected me,” Malaysiakini quoted him as saying in a posting on his website.

The “persons” he was referring to were Najib, his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as well as Umno leaders Mohd Ali Rustam, Ahmad Maslan, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Annuar Musa, Abdul Rahman Dahlan and Azalina Othman.

“In the circumstances, I have demonstrated the justice of my course – justice, truth and honour and Najib having failed to do so, I shall not be required to continue with my hunger strike,” his statement read.

Chang is currently receiving treatment at the Sungai Buloh prison infirmary and said he would apply all his strength to fight Najib to the end with his client Khairuddin Abu Hassan.

“I will now therefore apply all my strength and energy to fight shoulder and shoulder with Khairuddin to expose the abuse of power by the Najib regime until total victory for all Malaysians for value, truth, justice and honour.”

Chang and former Umno Batu Kawan divisional vice-chief Khairuddin, were both arrested under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012 and have since been charged for attempting to sabotage the country’s banking and financial services sectors.

However critics of Najib, including former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his sacked deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, have condemned the arrests and prosecution of the duo, as a bold attempt to silence them.

Khairuddin had previously lodged numerous reports against suspected financial wrongdoing at 1MDB both inside and outside the country.