Saturday July 12, 2008

Ex-PKR aide: Let’s debate on future of the country and Malays

KOTA BARU: Former PKR Youth head Ezam Mohd Nor has challenged PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to a debate on the future direction of the country and the Malays.

Ezam, now an Umno member, said Anwar wanted to become a “prime minister at all costs” without realising how shaky the country had become, particularly in the three Pakatan Rakyat-led states of Penang, Perak and Selangor.

He said the debate was timely as people were confused and addressing these issues could put an end to uncertainties.

He said he deserved some respect for having fought for Anwar during the reformasi period, adding only later did he come to realise that the former deputy prime minister was “a chameleon who says things to please everybody but forgets about the implications of his actions or policies”.

Ezam said PKR Youth leaders have no grounds to criticise him.

“I will only respond to Anwar and (Datin Seri Dr) Wan Azizah Ismail as they know that I deserve such respect based on my sacrifices for them, particularly for Anwar,” Ezam said at a ceramah on Thursday.

Describing the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as a political gimmick, Ezam said Anwar was using various tactics to distract the people from the internal squabbles in Pakatan Rakyat.

Earlier, Ezam called on PAS and DAP to be fair in their comments regarding the sodomy allegations brought by former PKR volunteer Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan against Anwar.

“They cannot simply side with Anwar just because he is their leader as it is unfair to demean a layman like Saiful,” he said.