Anwar makes call to ‘save’ Malaysia

Anwar makes call to ‘save’ Malaysia
21 June, 2008

(The Malaysian Insider) - De facto Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last night led another blistering charge to topple the Umno-led Barisan Nasional government. This time, he campaigned to “save Malaysia”.

The charismatic politician praised the PKR-led Selangor state government for introducing immediate and effective remedies to reduce the economic burden on the people while castigating the Umno leadership for causing the hardship following the latest fuel price hike.

“Which state under BN rule gives you free water?” he asked, his voice full of scorn.

“Where’s the one-mmmnnnn trillion ringgit?” he added, referring to national oil profits.

“Come! Let us save this country! Malaysia! Let us topple the BN government!” he thundered. And yes, you really could hear the exclamation marks in his sentences.

“Two have come into Pakatan,” he thundered at a public rally at the Shah Alam Stadium to celebrate the PKR-led government’s 100 days in office.

While Anwar did not name them, it is widely believed he was referring to two MPs from the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau), who are also the party’s deputy president and women’s chief respectively.

“In Malaysia, the politics has grown uncertain. In BN, there is a split. At yesterday’s meeting, one component party did not attend,” he said, referring to the BN supreme council which held an emergency meeting at the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the SAPP’s no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister.

Anwar said when Parliament reconvenes on Monday, the Pakatan Rakyat coalition will wholeheartedly fight to defeat the government’s motion on price increases.

We Now Need Only 28 MPs, Says Anwar

21 June, 2008

(Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Friday night Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance) now needed only 28 crossover members of parliament to form the government.

Pakatan Rakyat needed 30 MPs to do so but Anwar said with two Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) MPs supporting a motion of no confidence against the prime minister, the pact now needed only 28 MPs to switch sides.

"We want to congratulate Datuk Yong Teck Lee (SAPP President) and the two SAPP MPs," he said at a gathering in conjunction with the 100th day of Pakatan Rakyat's rule in Selangor attended by about 10,000 people at the Shah Alam Stadium.

He was confident that Pakatan Rakyat would be able to form the government, saying the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) was in disarray.

Pakatan Rakyat has 82 MPs while BN has 140.

Meanwhile, Anwar said Pakatan Rakyat would fight any motion to support further increase of fuel price, which he claimed would be tabled in the coming Dewan Rakyat sitting.