Whispering campaign: Anwar 'turned Hindu'

Terence Netto | Dec 24, 07 12:33pm

PKR’s de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, on a seven-stop barnstorming swing through Penang on Saturday, drew crowds from a couple of hundred to a few thousand as he denounced the government over its policies and practices and called on the people to take charge of their destiny. At all seven stops Anwar referred to what he said was a whispering campaign against him by Umno that he had "turned Hindu" because of his support for Hindraf. Hindu Rights Action Force organised a demonstration in Kuala Lumpur last month, gathering some 30,000 people, drawing attention to their agenda of fighting for Indian rights. Five of the movement’s leaders have since been detained under the Internal Security Act for being a threat to the national security. "I intend to meet this whispering campaign head-on," said Anwar at his first stop in Sungai Nibong. "I have not abandoned my Malay and Muslim moorings but I believe in remaining open to the plight of all people who are faced with problems for which they need help," he added. "Under a PKR government, a Malay problem, a Chinese problem, an Indian problem, a Dayak problem and a Kadazan problem would be regarded as a Malaysian problem. "We will work together to see that the wealth of this nation is shared more equitably and that no one race will remain helpless in the face of rampant poverty," he said in identical remarks in all seven stops, drawing rousing cheers for this particularly at Sungai Nibong and Sungai Bakap where Indians were present in disproportionate numbers in the audience. He rode pillion on a motorcycle to his Sungai Bakap engagement because the North-South Expressway was jammed between the Penang Bridge and Juru at tea time. A roar greeted his arrival on a bike ridden by a Keadilan youngster and the crowd later chuckled knowingly when Anwar said "as deputy prime minister I wouldn't have been allowed on a bike." Populist PKR policies Announcing populist PKR policies such as the abolishment of fees from primary to tertiary level for students from poor families and the lowering of the price of oil, Anwar drew multi-racial crowds at Sungai Nibong in Bayan Baru, Sungai Bakap in Nibong Tebal, and Seberang Jaya in Permatang Pauh, and largely single race crowds in Bukit Gelugor (Indian), Penanti (Malay) and Permatang Beranggan (Malay) in Tasek Gelugor. All the seven stops were made in one day. His longest speech, an hour-long excoriation of the misdeeds of the Barisan Nasional, particularly Umno's, was reserved for a 5,000 strong crowd, the biggest and last stop of the seven, in Permatang Beranggan where he threaded on all the themes he touched on earlier. He said that a Barisan Rakyat (People's Front) government would see that "people would be enabled to be rich and not ministers and their relatives as is the case with the present lot". Penang is regarded as a frontline state by PKR as it attempts to combine with the DAP and PAS to capture more seats in the state assembly and in parliament at the next general election which observers expect will be called soon. In his gruelling swing through the state, Anwar paused at two largely Indian settlements, the first in Bukit Gelugor on Penang island, and the second at Kampung Bagan Serai in Seberang Perai, to express sympathy for people threatened with eviction by developers. He told them to expect in these times when the election is imminent that "representatives from MIC and Gerakan would come and assure you that something will be done for you but nothing will come of it". "So vote for us and vote for change to your fortunes," he urged the crowd at both stops.

BN bacul tidak benar Anwar tanding pilihan raya

Helmi Khalid Mon | Dec 24, 07 | 6:11:18 am MYT

ALOR STAR, 24 Dis (Hrkh) - Presiden PAS, Tuan Guru Dato' Seri Abdul Hadi Awang mencabar Perdana Menteri dan Barisan Nasional (BN) agar tidak menjadi pihak yang pengecut sekiranya mengadakan Pilihan raya Umum ke-12 sebelum tarikh mantan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim layak dicalonkan semula sebagai calon.

Katanya, BN jadi pengecut, biar Anwar boleh bertanding, kita lawan sama-sama, (BN) jangan jadi pengecut.

"Dulu saya lawan, tapi Dato' Seri Anwar tak lawan, dia kena rehat (PRU-11, akibat dipenjara), sekarang Anwar dah bebas, dia dah mula turun padang, biar dia boleh lawan, kita lawan sama-sama," tegas Ustaz Hadi.

Beliau berucap demikian ketika bersama Anwar dalam Ceramah Perdana 'Bersatu Menolak BN'di Kompleks PAS Kedah di hadapan sekitar 100 ribu hadirin.

Dalam ceramahnya, Ustaz Hadi banyak mengenengahkan prinsip keadilan yang telah dijanjikan oleh Islam sebagai pemerintah terhadap golongan bukan Islam.

Beliau berkali mengulangi ketegasan bahawa disebabkan Umno tidak membawa Islam yang sebenar seperti yang dituntut oleh Allah maka sekarang ini berlaku pelbagai penindasan oleh Umno terhadap rakyat yang bukan beragama Islam.

Sementara, Anwar pula turut menyentuh isu yang sama dengan memberi contoh semakin kerap dan banyak perkataan Islam Hadhari diuangkapkan pemimpin Umno, semakin banyak penindasan dan ketidakadilan dilakukan terhadap rakyat tanpa mengira kaum dan agama.

Bibit-bibit kebangkitan rakyat Kedah telah mula dijelmakan sejak beberapa bulan lalu, jika dilihat dari beberapa program melibatkan semua kaum, jumlah kehadirannya adalah di luar jangkaan.

Petang kelmarin, ketika Anwar berkunjung di Paya Besar, Lunas sekitar 7,000 rakyat di kalangan kaum India menghadiri program tersebut.

Sebelum ini juga, PAS Kedah yang bekerjasama dengan Dewan Himpunan Cina Kedah berjaya mengumpul 120 ribu tandatangan rakyat sebagai tanda bantahan terhadap kenaikan kadar cukai yang melampau di negeri Jelapang Padi ini.

Ceramah pada malam tadi juga menyebabkan jalan raya di Alor Star-Sungai Petani sesak teruk sekitar lima kilometer berdekatan Kompleks PAS Kedah di Kota sarang Semut.

Cuaca yang baik membolehkan rakyat membanjiri dataran kompleks sejak jam 7.00 malam dan mengikuti ceramah yang dimulakan oleh Pesuruhjaya PAS Kedah, Ustaz Haji Azizan ABdul Razak diikuti Ustaz Hadi seterusnya Anwar. - mks.