Archive for category Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim’s conviction: A travesty of justice
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Judiciary on Tuesday, 11 March 2014
– Jose Mario Dolor De Vega
The Malaysian Insider
March 10, 2014
I refer to “Judicial process and timing in Anwar’s case implies persecution not prosecution, says Bar Council”, The Malaysian Insider, March 9 concerning the latest conviction of the Malaysian opposition leader.
I overwhelmingly concur with the charge of the Malaysian Bar Council that “the charge against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the manner in which his appeal was handled fuels the perception that the opposition leader was persecuted and not prosecuted”.
It is undeniable that because of the grave fear and extreme paranoia of the powers that be to the natural and charismatic power and genuine popularity of Anwar to the Malaysian public, they have used all the resources and arsenal of the government even to the point of compromising the integrity and independence of the courts.
Why? For the simple reason that they do not want Anwar to win in Kajang and subsequently be the Selangor menteri besar.
I am wondering, is it all worth it? Yes, they successfully blocked Anwar from contesting in the coming by-election. In fact, he is in danger once again of going back to prison, yet do they know the repercussions and consequences of what they did? Read the rest of this entry »
Judicial process and timing in Anwar’s case implies persecution not prosecution, says Bar Council
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Judiciary on Sunday, 9 March 2014
The Malaysian Insider
March 09, 2014
The charge against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the manner in which his appeal was handled fuels the perception that the opposition leader was persecuted and not prosecuted, the Bar Council said.
Malaysian Bar president Christopher Leong said that in the first place, the archaic provision under the Penal Code which criminalises sodomy and oral sex should never have been brought against Anwar.
“The case has unnecessarily taken up judicial time and public funds, and has muddied the waters of our justice system.
“We also have grave misgivings with respect to the manner and timing in which the appeal was handled, especially over the way in which mitigation and sentencing proceeded,” Leong said. Read the rest of this entry »
Anwar will miss the June meeting of Parliament if he is jailed in two months, which means Permatang Pauh by-election will have to be held in June or July
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Good Governance, Kajang by-election, Pakatan Rakyat on Sunday, 9 March 2014
If Anwar Ibrahim is right in his winding-up speech at the Pakatan Rakyat 5th Convention in Shah Alam yesterday that he might be imprisoned within two months, it would mean another “rush to judgment” to dispose of Anwar’s Federal Court appeal to uphold his five-year jail conviction by the Court of Appeal on Friday.
This is because Anwar would have exhausted his legal remedies and once his 5-year jail conviction is upheld by the Federal Court in two months, Anwar will have to start his second jail incarceration.
It would also mean that Anwar will not be able to attend the June meeting of Parliament, and the forthcoming parliamentary meeting beginning tomorrow will be Anwar’s last parliamentary meeting.
Furthermore, it would also mean that Anwar would be disqualified as MP and the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election would have to be held in June or July. Read the rest of this entry »
Call on Kajang voters to do the impossible in the by-election by making the Barisan Nasional candidate lose deposit
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Kajang by-election, Malaysian Dream, nation building on Sunday, 9 March 2014
[Speech (Part 2) at the 5th Pakatan Rakyat Convention at Setia City Convention Centre, Shah Alam on Saturday, 8th March 2014 at 4.30 pm]
The Kajang voters should do the impossible in the by-election on March 23 by making the Barisan Nasional candidate lose deposit.
It is not enough for the Pakatan Rakyat/PKR candidate just to win, or even to win with a bigger majority than last year during the 13th general election.
Pakatan Rakyat should set out to ensure the achievement of the impossible in the Kajang by-election by getting the Barisan Nasional candidate to lose the deposit.
This is a very “tall order” but the occasion warrants going for such an extraordinary result.
This will a clear and unmistakable verdict that the people disapproves of any return to authoritarian rule or reversion to blatant and flagrant subversion of the independence, impartiality and integrity of the judiciary and other important national institutions to serve the political interests of the powers-that-be, as is clearly evident in the five-year jail conviction of Anwar Ibrahim yesterday. Read the rest of this entry »
Anwar’s body can be jailed but the spirit and soul of the Pakatan Rakyat for a new Malaysia of freedom, justice, good governance and prosperity for all Malaysians cannot be imprisoned
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Rakyat on Saturday, 8 March 2014
This 5th Pakatan Rakyat Convention is to be an ordinary annual convention. But it has become a historic one.
This is because this PR Convention in Shah Alam must send out a clear and unmistakable message to the powers-that-be that they can jail the body of Anwar Ibrahim but they cannot imprison the spirit and soul of Pakatan Rakyat for a new Malaysia of freedom, justice, good governance and prosperity for all Malaysians!
Selangor Speaker Hannah Yeoh could not have put it better when she said in her speech this morning that when the powers-that-be first persecuted and imprisoned Anwar Ibrahim after sacking him from Umno 16 years ago, Anwar was a leader of the Malays.
Today, in the second-round of persecution and imprisonment of Anwar Ibrahim, Anwar has become the leader of Malaysians.
This is the measure of the transformation that Anwar has wrought in the past 16 years (compared to the fake “transformations” of the Najib administration), and there can be no better outcome of today’s convention than for all Pakatan Rakyat leaders, members and supporters, whether PKR, PAS or DAP to resolve to follow Anwar’s example to become Malaysians fighting for the welfare and interests of all Malaysians. Read the rest of this entry »
Sodomy 2 Ruling Creates New Excitement
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Elections, Judiciary, Kajang by-election on Saturday, 8 March 2014
By Kee Thuan Chye
Yahoo! News
8th March 2014
The buzz is all over town. And most probably outside of the country too. Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has been found guilty by the Court of Appeal of sodomising Saiful Bukhari Azlan in 2008.
The High Court acquitted him of the charge in January 2012, but the Attorney-General appealed. Now it looks like Anwar’s luck has run out. The famous Sodomy 2 case has caught up with him this time.
The judge has sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment. Although Anwar’s lawyers have straight away filed notice of appeal to the Federal Court, his conviction should disqualify him from standing in the upcoming Kajang by-election, which had come about when the incumbent state assemblyman, Lee Chin Cheh, stepped down to actually pave the way for Anwar to contest – as part of the so-called Kajang Move engineered by PKR strategist Rafizi Ramli with the long-term view of possibly making Anwar menteri besar in order to prepare Selangor as the launchpad for Pakatan Rakyat to take Putrajaya.
What happens to that now? Read the rest of this entry »
Winners, losers and others in Sodomy II
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat on Saturday, 8 March 2014
BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
March 07, 2014
Barisan Nasional (BN) got what it wanted. Datuk Seri Najib Razak got what he wanted. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad got what he wanted. Tun Daim Zainuddin got what he wanted.
Heck, any Umno politician will be celebrating today. The man who could have ended it all for Umno is back where they want him to be – in jail.
And this time, the keys will be thrown away, finally ending the political career of a man who has withstood 15 years of sledgehammer treatment from his political opponents, BN.
Here are some initial thoughts from today’s court decision. Read the rest of this entry »
Kajang is on the way to Putrajaya
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Kajang by-election, Mariam Mokhtar, UMNO on Friday, 28 February 2014
– Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
February 27, 2014
Why has Anwar’s decision to contest in Kajang caused so much upheaval inside the BN camp? More so in Umno? This is just a DUN seat. As Muhyidin says, when Anwar wins, at the most he can only be MB. Najib is still the PM.
Yes, why?
Umno says it’s protecting the people of Selangor. From what? Mahathir says no one is safe if Anwar is MB.
Hmmm – maybe. Perhaps there’s some truth in what Mahathir said. I did feel shivers down my spine when I participate in a talk with Anwar especially with my back facing him. Haha. I must remember to wear an iron chastity belt the next time. Umno people – please remember that too.
No one who has stolen from the state, no one who is corrupt, and no one who has emptied the treasury will be safe. My own uneasiness dissipates when I think that no treasury, no money is safe when Umno people are around. No public works are safe with Umno people around. These are dangerous people to be around, these Umno people. Read the rest of this entry »
In deriding Anwar, Daim shows Umno fear of losing Putrajaya sooner than later
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Kajang by-election, Mahathir, Selangor, UMNO on Thursday, 27 February 2014
The Malaysian Insider
February 26, 2014
So why is Tun Daim Zainuddin quaking?
Make no mistake, the former finance minister is worried. Worried enough that he keeps talking incessantly about Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Publicly, he dismisses the PKR de facto leader as a publicity hound, a man who craves the limelight and loves the next headline.
Publicly, he runs the opposition leader down as someone who has never been able to solve any problem.
Publicly, he says that Anwar’s move to contest a by-election in Kajang is a complete waste of public funds.
Apparently Daim’s fixation with Anwar continues in private discussions but behind closed doors, the tone is less dismissive, less condescending. Read the rest of this entry »
Kajang and the Anwar-Mahathir showdown
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Elections, Kajang by-election, Mahathir, UMNO on Wednesday, 26 February 2014
– Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
February 25, 2014
When Anwar Ibrahim announces he wants to contest in Kajang, the whole country erupted into a fit. Most affected is the BN side. They don’t know what to do and say. So they shoot at each other.
Ahmad Maslan, the 3.85 CGPA-man, announced that Umno will use Anwar’s sex issue as the main issue. I am sure at the very moment, Kajang inhabitants wake up in the morning to find packages containing various CDs on Anwar’s sexual encounters enclosed. That’s how Umno educate Malays.
Even Dr Mahathir has entered the fray; first by saying that Anwar is only fit to become the menteri besar. As usual his initial response developed into the typical Mahathir vitriol on his onetime protégé turned nemesis.
The whole political saga involving Anwar which sets the country into political turmoil was created in the first place by Mahathir. That is why Mahathir is attacking Anwar. Mahathir knows Anwar will eventually win. So he tries to delay the inevitable. Read the rest of this entry »
Anwar Ibrahim has to be put away; otherwise, Umno is doomed!
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Judiciary, UMNO on Saturday, 22 February 2014
by P Ramakrishnan
Aliran
21 February 2014
What is important in any hearing is fairness to the accused. But certain judges don’t seem to be very bothered about this principle, says P Ramakrishnan.
The survival of Umno in the forthcoming GE14 is hanging by a thread. By all counts, it may be the end of the road for the party that has dominated Malaysian politics for more than half a century.
Umno is aware of this. And that is why it is desperately trying to put Anwar Ibrahim away to save its skin. A free Anwar will sound the death-knell for Umno.
Politically it may not succeed in its attempt to do away with Anwar because his influence is wide and far-reaching. He is seen by the majority of Malaysians as the only hope of toppling Umno from its power base – which will pave the way for an alternative government.
All the lies that Umno has concocted against Anwar have not made any impact on the people. This approach has been tried since 1998 – to tarnish his reputation and smear his image – but every attempt failed miserably. People have wised up to the tricks and manipulations resorted to by Umno at every opportunity and during elections, but such ploys have had no effect to benefit Umno.
Moreover, the people are aware that Umno is no longer the sole mouth-piece for the Malays. Pas and Keadilan are equally capable of representing the Malays far more effectively when compared to Umno. To add to their headache, the Malays are even turning to the DAP and supporting their candidates. Clearly, it is a losing battle for Umno. Read the rest of this entry »
When the Opposition starts serving up déjà vu
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Kajang by-election, Selangor on Saturday, 22 February 2014
Erna Mahyuni
The Malay Mail Online
February 19, 2014
FEB 19 — Wouldn’t want to be a PKR supporter right now. The “Who gets to be Selangor MB” game is getting pretty old and rather symptomatic of the prevailing malady permeating our country — having the wrong priorities.
Umno’s culture of selfishness and infighting with poison pen letters and hidden knives in the dark is well-documented. But to see the same culture of factionalism and infighting in PKR makes you wonder if the party is just a rebadged Umno. Same crap, same people (stop recruiting ex-Umno people already, Anwar) but just a different party name.
I can’t comment on the merits of Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim versus Azmin Ali versus Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim because I frankly do not give a rat’s behind.
What is certain is that it is entirely possible for Pakatan Rakyat to lose Selangor, without even waiting for the next general election. Read the rest of this entry »
With a ‘Supporter’ Like Zaid, Pakatan Needs No Enemies
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Kajang by-election on Tuesday, 18 February 2014
By Kee Thuan Chye
Yahoo! News
18 Feb 2014
What the hell is Zaid Ibrahim doing? He claims, in a Q&A with theSun, that he’s a Pakatan Rakyat supporter and yet he has declared his intention to stand in the upcoming Kajang by-election against Pakatan’s de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim.
This is downright contradictory. It also gives the impression that he might be trying to settle an old score with Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), and even Anwar himself.
Many of us would remember that in 2010, while he himself was a member of PKR, Zaid publicly criticised the party and sullied its image. He displayed his egotism by brazenly calling on Anwar to step down as PKR’s leader and offering himself as successor. “I’ll be a good leader,” he boasted. But the party didn’t entertain him and he quit, with much bile and fanfare, to start his own mosquito party, Kita (Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air).
He didn’t last long as Kita’s chief, quitting less than two years after he had founded it. During that time, he had a falling-out with his fellow party leaders and even announced disbanding the party but later changed his mind. This prompted his party chiefs to declare that they wanted him out. Read the rest of this entry »
Lessons of faith, harmony and provocation over the weekend
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Najib Razak, nation building, Religion on Monday, 17 February 2014
BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
February 17, 2014
Malaysians learnt a few things over a rather hot weekend, from opposition leaders who reached out to all, to ordinary Malaysians preaching harmony and the few troublemakers who appear to incite trouble.
Some might still think opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a political chameleon but his visit to a Kajang church yesterday proved one thing – he was willing to take the bull by the horns and reach out to all Malaysians irrespective of their faith.
Perhaps he was just there for their votes, those less charitable of him would say.
But the PKR de facto leader did something that no Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders has done in a long time – meet Malaysians outside their community and be the leader of all Malaysians, not just their own race or co-religionists.
Have we seen any BN leader face a crowd of ordinary Malaysians, not from their party or race or religion, and answer their blunt questions? In most cases, it is stage-managed events filled with either a pliant media or those paid to tweet photographs of these leaders.
Anwar is not alone, of course. PAS leaders such as Khalid Abdul Samad and Mujahid Yusof Rawa have also gone to meet and reach out to people from different faiths over the years. Read the rest of this entry »
What would Tunku Abdul Rahman do in light of raging racial tensions?
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, nation building on Tuesday, 11 February 2014
by Eileen Ng
The Malaysian Insider
February 11, 2014
Had Tunku Abdul Rahman been still around, he would have been disappointed with the elements that are trying to divide Malaysia and its people.
The nation’s first prime minister had considered himself to be the happiest premier in the world, but had he been alive today, he would be Malaysia’s saddest man due to the raging racial religious tensions.
With his legacy of unity being threatened, speakers at a forum held to commemorate Tunku’s 111th birthday last night in Kajang said there is a need to secure his legacy to ensure the nation remains united.
DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said Tunku wanted peace, love and harmony, which he lamented seemed to be in short supply in recent months.
“Never before has Malaysia been so divided and polarised, with the last eight to nine months being the worst. Today’s forum is for us to think of what we have lost in our 56 years of nation building.
“Tunku would want to see a united country. Is Malaysia more united or divided now? Has the issue of race and religion become more polarising?” he said at the forum in last night.
The veteran politician noted that during Tunku’s time, there was certain civic and gentle chivalry that seemed to have gone down the gutters today. Read the rest of this entry »
Will Kajang by-election be the dirtiest or cleanest by-election in Malaysian history?
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Elections, Police on Thursday, 6 February 2014
Will the forthcoming Kajang by-election in Selangor be the dirtiest or cleanest by-election in Malaysian history?
It has the capacity of being either depending on the role of the contending candidates, the two political coalitions of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, and the supervising bodies like the Election Commission, the police, etc.
The Kajang by-election promises to be a by-election of many surprises.
The very holding of the Kajang by-election is itself a surprise – the first surprise. Read the rest of this entry »
From the Kajang by-election to the bigger picture, Anwar tells all
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Elections, Pakatan Rakyat, Selangor on Tuesday, 4 February 2014
by Sheridan Mahavera and Mohd Farhan Darwis
The Malaysian Insider
February 04, 2014
PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is no stranger to controversy. This time, it concerns his party’s attempts to get him elected as a state lawmaker in Selangor by triggering a by-election in the Kajang state seat. Anwar sat down with The Malaysian Insider to reply to criticisms the plan has generated and to tell the public why PKR feels it is justified, despite spending public funds on another electoral exercise.
Q: Let’s start with the background on the Kajang by-election. What was the motif behind this? It was a big surprise to your allies in Pakatan, even people in PKR did not know about it. Is it worth all this negative publicity?
A: It has been brewing for some time and we have to take into consideration the importance of Selangor, despite the fact that it was well managed and it was given a good and impressive mandate in the last general election.
As a major strategic consideration, we see that Selangor is under tremendous pressure and incessant attack by Umno and BN, including exploiting race and religious sentiments. We therefore feel, together with economic management, that there needs to be political leadership that is effective enough to mobilise and stop these excesses on behalf of the Malays and non-Malays in the state. Enough is enough.
This requires additional force and political clout, and a very strong message. To us it’s consistent with our statement on the national consensus that we cannot allow a small minority to hijack the national agenda and carry out threats to any citizen or group in the name of religion and race.
They are not nationalists; they don’t protect the interest of poor Malays, who are the vast majority of Malays, just the rich cronies. Or portray Islamic ethics well. Look at the manner it is played up and the character of those who profess to have religious leanings. No consideration of basic ethics or morality in the manner they display their arrogance and high handedness in dealing with issues.
We have a major problem in Selangor. This issue of race and religion shows the abdication of the Prime Minister and the government. They are either ignoring this or dismissing this or passing the buck to the state.
Second, economic problems. Inflation and spiralling prices are having a major impact and ramification to the state. It is close to Kuala Lumpur. Folks face hardship.
I think it is time we move to make Selangor a model and convey this strong message of how you govern politically and economically, and this will play when we wrest control of Putrajaya. Read the rest of this entry »
Anwar Ibrahim in Kajang state seat is good for Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Augustine Anthony, Elections, Pakatan Rakyat on Tuesday, 4 February 2014
By Augustine Anthony
4.1.2014
When Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim’s decision to run for the now vacant Kajang state seat in Selangor was announced by Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, the current Mentri Besar of Selangor, the extent of criticism against Anwar Ibrahim, PKR and Pakatan Rakyat as a whole ranged from thumbs down and negative to downright hostility.
The looks on the ordinary and mostly educated middle class people whenever this issue was raised was one of disgust.
You cannot defend the indefensible and, in this case Anwar Ibrahim’s candidacy for the Kajang state seat, is the general feeling. A betrayal of voters’ hopes, aspirations and confidence is no small matter and such an act must bear the full brunt of the nation’s backlash.
But there was an unusual landscape during the announcement by Khalid Ibrahim. Not as picturesque as anyone would have expected and not quite like the time during the 13th General Elections and the accompanying euphoria whenever opposition candidates names were announced.
Amidst the gloom, there sits “THE” towering figure in the Malaysian politics. His appearance cleverly hides the depth of his experience, knowledge and understanding of the Malaysian political, social, as well as matters of national policies. The honourable Lim Kit Siang sits on the right side of Anwar Ibrahim while Khalid Ibrahim sits on the left side of the Opposition Leader. That caught my attention.
From the time of my childhood days I have admired Lim Kit Siang. He is a Malaysian success story and richly deserving too. A success story imagined, engineered and achieved not by sheer luck but by unrelenting pursuit and single mindedness of the goal ahead. Read the rest of this entry »
Anwar’s bumpy road to Kajang a reminder of Umno’s shenanigans
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Elections, Pakatan Rakyat on Sunday, 2 February 2014
NEWS ANALYSIS BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
February 02, 2014
In the throes of Malaysians debating the correctness of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim contesting the Kajang state seat, comes a stark reminder that evil resides in Umno.
Umno and its so-called non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have started their campaign to block Anwar from reaching out to voters – the sure sign of how worried they remain of a politician they themselves have tagged as a has-been.
From Perlis down to Johor, every trick in the book has been employed against the opposition. At times, the royal households are used, sometimes the religious authorities are co-opted.
Often, laws are bent to suit the whims and fancies of Umno.
So it seems to be the case in Kajang where Anwar was barred from giving the tazkirah (a short speech before the Friday sermon) at the Impian Saujana mosque in Kajang on orders from the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais). Read the rest of this entry »
Johor Pakatan Rakyat should embark on a three-point strategy under its “Johor Leads” motto to fulfil the Johor Dream to make Johor the front-line state in Peninsular Malaysia in the 14GE in the march to Nusajaya and Putrajaya
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, DAP, Johore, Malaysian Dream, Pakatan Rakyat on Sunday, 26 January 2014
The Pakatan Rakyat national leadership endorses the “Johor Leads” motto of Johore Pakatan Rakyat announced by the Johor PR leadership on Friday.
In fact, the PR Leadership Council at its meeting at PAS Hqrs in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday 22nd January 2014 decided to give full support to the Johor PR objective to fulfil the Johor Dream to make Johor the front-line state of PR in Peninsular Malaysia in the 14th General Elections in the march of PR towards Nusajaya and Putrajaya.
In line with Johor as one of the key front-line states in the 14GE, national PR leaders from PAS, PKR and DAP will be making frequent visits to Johor after the Chinese New Year.
Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PAS President Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and PAS Deputy President, Mohamad Sabu will in fact be visiting Johor during the Chinese New Year period, culminating in an important joint national-state PR leadership and strategy conference in Johor on Feb. 24. Read the rest of this entry »
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