Anwar DID IT! 0000HR 16.Sept.2008. Happy Birthday LKy!

Malaysian opposition has numbers to topple govt: Anwar



<cite class="auth">AFP - Tuesday, September 16</cite>KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Monday he has enough support to topple the government and wants to meet with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss a handover.
After landmark March elections that saw the opposition dramatically increase its seats in parliament, Anwar set a September 16 deadline to oust the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition by persuading at least 30 lawmakers to defect.
"We have the numbers to defeat BN," the opposition leader told a rally of some 10,000 supporters who erupted in wild cheers. "Tomorrow is D-Day, we are ready to form the government."
"Our representatives have delivered a letter to Abdullah to demand a meeting ... to discuss the future of politics in Malaysia and the handover of power," he said.
"We have the numbers but we want to meet with Abdullah, show him the evidence and work out a handover because we want a peaceful transition".
Anwar, a former deputy premier who was sacked and jailed a decade ago, arrived to rapturous applause at the rally held in a Kuala Lumpur stadium, which echoed to chants of "Reformasi" -- the opposition battle cry of "Reform".
Tian Chua, information chief of his Keadilan party, said the three-member opposition alliance had secured a simple majority in parliament and that more government lawmakers would defect later.
But he said there were concerns that the coalition -- which has ruled since independence from Britain 51 years ago -- would stoke conflict in order to justify a crackdown to keep itself in power.
"We want Abdullah to assure us there will be no repressive force used, like involving the police or inviting the military to take control," he told AFP.
Tian Chua said the opposition's push had been helped by the detention on Saturday of an opposition politician, a prominent blogger and a journalist under draconian internal security laws.
"Abdullah's final crackdown made people lose hope that he is ever going to be a liberal reformer, which he promised," he said.
Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar defended the detentions but said it was a police operation and not his idea -- comments ridiculed by the opposition, which said he and Abdullah must be held accountable.
The Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance made surprise gains in March general elections, seizing control of five states and a third of parliamentary seats in the biggest challenge ever faced by the coalition.
The political uncertainty has paralysed investment in recent months, and depressed trading on the stock market which dropped 2.5 percent over last week, and another 2.1 percent Monday as Anwar's takeover deadline loomed.
Spirits were high at the stadium, which was adorned with Malaysian flags and posters demanding the release of the opposition politician and the blogger -- who remain in custody while the journalist was freed.
"What Anwar has said will happen soon as all the people are backing him. The change of government will happen very soon now," said Nursikin Bahrom, a 23-year-old student.
"Anwar has promised us a new beginning and we will support him when the battle begins on the 16th... he is our new prime minister and the BN should realise this," said businessman Abdul Aziz Rashid, 36.
At the rally, Anwar set out an agenda to fight corruption and protect the rights of all citizens in this multicultural country which is dominated by Muslim Malays but also home to ethnic Chinese and Indian communities.
"The Pakatan Rakyat government will uphold justice, a free judiciary, a free media and a professional police force," he said.



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PM: Sept 16 a 'political lie'
Sep 16, 08 11:26am

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi scoffed at the opposition caolition’s claims that it has the numbers to topple the Barisan Nasional government.

MCPX

He described Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s assertion at a massive rally last night that he had enough government defectors to take power as a “political lie”.

Anwar told the 20,000-strong crowd at the Kelana Jaya stadium that he had sent a letter to the prime minister requesting for a meeting to discuss a smooth power transistion.

When asked whether he would meet the opposition leader, Abdullah was non-committal. “We shall see if there’s time,” he said.

The prime minister dismissed Anwar’s claims as preposterous, arguing that “if Anwar has the numbers, he would have let the whole world know”.

No details on who and how many

Anwar told a rapturous crowd close to midnight yesterday that the Pakatan Rakyat has “the numbers but we want to meet with Abdullah, show him the evidence and work out a handover because we want a peaceful transition".

The opposition leader however did not provide more information on how many MPs Pakatan has in the bag and the number of government defectors.

Anwar will need at least 31 defectors from BN and perhaps over 40 for a stable Pakatan government.

"I believe that the government will fall in the next few weeks," he told journalists after the rally.

But Abdullah stressed that his government continues to be stable and strong.

“I have known Anwar for a long time and he will say certain things to attract people to his ceramah, and they choose to believe him,” he told journalists this morning after a function.

“The BN government is still in power, and we will continue to do our job and not be distracted by such claims.”

[More to follow]
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Anwar: We're ready to form new gov't
Malaysiakini Team | Sep 15, 08 10:32pm
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 </xml>MCPX
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]>
<style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim told a 20,000-strong rally that he had the numbers to form a new government and wants to meet with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss a handover.
"Tomorrow is the D-day. We are ready to form the government. We have the numbers and we are ready to announce tomorrow.

"Tomorrow, we are ready. But the best time (for the takeover), I tell you, is when we meet the prime minister.
"A peaceful transition is paramount," he added, conceding that there will not be a change of government tomorrow as he had promised earlier.
According to him, Pakatan Rakyat has submitted a letter to Abdullah today seeking a meeting for a smooth transition of power.

"We have the numbers but we want to meet with Abdullah, show him the evidence and work out a handover because we want a peaceful transition," he said to the jubilant cheers of the crowd.
The opposition leader also did not provide more information on how many MPs Pakatan has in the bag and the number of government defectors.
Anwar will need at least 31 defectors from BN and perhaps over 40 for a stable Pakatan government.
"I believe that the government will fall in the next few weeks," he told journalists after the rally.
The massive crowd had earlier gathered at the Kelana Jaya stadium in Petaling Jaya to celebrate Pakatan's 'Hari Malaysia' celebration.
ISA dragnet slammed

Anwar, who began his 45-minute speech at 10.45pm, also emphasised the importance of Sabah and Sarawak to Malaysia.

He criticised the ruling Barisan Nasional for pursuing a divide-and-rule agenda at the expense of the two east Malaysian states.

"This is the first time ever a celebration of this scale is being held to recognise that we are one - that Sabah and Sarawak are part of Malaysia," Anwar told the crowd.
He added that he would declare Sept 16 a national holiday when he takes over the government.
Anwar also slammed the Abdullah-led government of practising racial politics, which he said led to last Friday's arrests of three people under the Internal Security Act.

He urged the majority Malays not to be swayed by BN policies.

"The Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) benefitted only the rich and elite Malays, not you," he said.
Anwar also said that he would reduce fuel prices by 70 sen the very next day after forming the government.
Most of those in the crowd are at the stadium tonight in the belief that Anwar would make an important announcement on the formation of a new government, which the PKR leader has repeatedly claimed he would do by tomorrow.
High expectation
Earlier, Anwar entered the venue at about 9.40pm to thunderous chants of ‘Reformasi!' and ‘Merdeka'.

Many Pakatan leaders were already at the stadium, most of them also believing that Anwar would make an important announcement at the rally.

Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, when asked if there would be a surprise announcement, merely said: "Wait for Anwar".

Guan Eng and DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang had earlier entered the stadium to loud cheers.

Many people on the ground whom Malaysiakini spoke to also expressed confidence of an impending change.

"He may reveal the first batch of defectors and maybe on how they will approach the king. I think they will wrap it up and form a new government by the end of this month," said retiree G Maniam.

‘I am surprised at how fast things are changing," said another Pakatan supporter at the stadium, Anthony Tong.

The 52-year-old accountant from Cheras said that he would not be disappointed even if Anwar managed to seize power by the end of this year.
"What Anwar has said will happen soon as all the people are backing him. The change of government will happen very soon now," said Nursikin Bahrom, a 23-year-old student.

"Anwar has promised us a new beginning and we will support him when the battle begins on the 16th... he is our new prime minister and the BN should realise this," said businessman Abdul Aziz Rashid, 36.
Don't invite police, military
Meanwhile, PKR information chief Tian Chua said the three-member opposition alliance had already secured a simple majority in parliament and that more government lawmakers would defect later.

But he said there were concerns that the coalition - which has ruled since independence from Britain 51 years ago - would stoke conflict in order to justify a crackdown to keep itself in power.

"We want Abdullah to assure us there will be no repressive force used, like involving the police or inviting the military to take control," he told AFP.

Tian said the opposition's push had been helped by the detention of an opposition politician, a prominent blogger and a journalist under draconian ISA.

"Abdullah's final crackdown made people lose hope that he is ever going to be a liberal reformer, which he promised," he said.

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar defended the detentions but said it was a police operation and not his idea - comments ridiculed by the opposition, which said he and Abdullah must be held accountable.
Spirits were high at the stadium, which was adorned with Malaysian flags and posters demanding the release of the opposition politician and the blogger - who remain in custody while the journalist was freed.
At the rally, Anwar set out an agenda to fight corruption and protect the rights of all citizens in Malaysia.
"The Pakatan Rakyat government will uphold justice, a free judiciary, a free media and a professional police force," he said.
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1) That the BN shall not hinder or prevent their BN MPs from acting in accordance with their conscience, constitutional rights and independent judgment;
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2) That the BN government shall not invoke the Internal Security Act to detain any of the MPs who will join Pakatan Rakyat, or any of the present 82 Pakatan Rakyat MPs;
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3) That the BN government shall not invoke emergency or police powers, or suspend the constitution, or dissolve parliament in response to our intention to form a new government;
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4) That the Barisan Nasional government shall not impose roadblocks and impede the MPs from gaining access to the House of Parliament and the institutions of government.
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