Name those challenging Malays or drop bogey tactic, Anwar tells Umno

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says Umno is using obsolete arguments and its narrative is completely irrelevant to the challenges faced by Malaysians. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, December 1, 2014.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, last night dared Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak to categorically identify the people accused of challenging the position of the Malays and Islam in the country.

“I am asking Datuk Seri Najib, tell me who? The Malays themselves? The Chinese, Indians, the Dayaks or Kadazans who had challenged the spirit of the constitution?

“Tell me. Is there a challenge to the position of Malay as the official language or Islam as the religion of the federation or the position of the Malay rulers?

“If not, why create this bogey and fear and then use this as a pretext for a new, stringent, draconian law?” Anwar asked as he made clear PKR's opposition to the Sedition Act in a political ceramah at the Desa Ilmu residential area in Samarahan division, some 40km from Kuching city, Sarawak.

He said alleged challenges to the position of the Malays and Islam were “not even factual”.

“The only issues they highlighted were the issues of race and religion when the biggest problem (facing the country) is the issue of good governance.

“When they have nothing to defend, then what they do is issue threats and say that those who are not with them are anti-Malays and Islam, that they challenge the constitution and don't understand the social contract.”

Last Thursday, Najib had reneged on his promise made in 2012 to repeal the Sedition Act.

He had announced at the Umno general assembly that the Act would not only be maintained but strengthened to include provisions making it an offence to insult religions and to call for the secession of Sabah and Sarawak.

“Malaysians must realise and be aware that Umno is using obsolete arguments, their own narrative is completely irrelevant to the challenges faced by Malaysians, to hang on to power,” Anwar, who was in Sarawak for two days for PKR's Rakyat Hakim Negara nationwide tour, said.

On the just concluded Umno general assembly, Anwar said the "sheer display of arrogance of Umno leaders" was "really and truly worrying”.

He said the assembly failed to discuss issues like corruption, mismanagement and financial leakages, the rising cost of living, unemployment and other economic problems like the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Anwar said the assembly was instead used to assume a purely Malay agenda and spew racial hatred.

“The position and sensitivities of the non-Malays are of no concern to them.”

On Saturday, Anwar who was accompanied by his daughter and Lembah Pantai MP, Nurul Izzah, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tsin, Penampang MP Darrell Leiking, and PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, had a similar public gathering in Baram.

Yesterday, he held meetings with Sarawak PKR leaders prior to speaking at two ceramah in Kampung Santubong, about 60km from Kuching, and at Desa Ilmu.

- TMI