I was invited to Malay congress but it came late, says Anwar

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim says he could not attend yesterday’s Malay Dignity Congress because he was in Port Dickson.

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR president Anwar Ibrahim today said he received an invitation to yesterday’s Malay Dignity Congress but he received it “late” and was in his constituency in Port Dickson at the time.

Clarifying his absence at the congress, Anwar said he was informed that PKR was not initially invited as the party represents all races.

“But later, they invited us. I was in PD when Wan Azizah (Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) called, stating a congress member asked me to attend.”

On Thursday, Anwar had said he was not invited to the congress, which Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and other leaders attended.

Asked to comment on the resolution approved at the congress to offer top official positions to Malays, Anwar said what was more important was to look at governance, corruption and poverty faced by the rakyat, be they Malays, Chinese, Indians ot Kadazans.

“The issues of corruption and the squandering of billions of Bumiputera wealth and national wealth are, to me, the primary concerns.

“Issues relating to management, administration and corruption need to be voiced out and corrected,” he said.

The second focus should be on poverty and inequality, Anwar said, adding that the figures must be right and transparent so that the Malay majority, including those in Sabah and Sarawak, are not left behind.

At the same time, he acknowledged that there are also pockets of poverty in the urban areas affecting the Chinese and Indians.

He also said his Islamic principles other than peace are justice and compassion. - FMT