yThis should be considered a lesson that in any election or by-election, the issue must be the agenda and policy, not this sort of malicious, scurrilous and racist remarks.'
Mr Anwar, accusing DPM Najib Razak of carrying out a racial campaign
==========================================
Aug 27, 2008
Anwar plans future, BN accepts loss
Next step: How to topple federal govt
PERMATANG PAUH: While basking in victory yesterday, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the consummate politician, was already plotting his next moves.
He said he wanted to return to Parliament as soon as possible and consult his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners on his plan to topple the federal government. He also commented on his upcoming sodomy case.
Opposition chiefs who were present at the news conference said again yesterday they had agreed to appoint him as the parliamentary opposition leader, a post held by his wife before she stepped down as an MP to make way for him.
Mr Anwar said he wanted to be appointed as an MP before Friday when Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi will make his annual Budget speech. Mr Anwar was finance minister for eight years until 1998 and had presented the Budget.
But the Speaker of Parliament, Pandikar Amin Mulia has indicated that there was no urgency to swear Mr Anwar in as an MP.
Said Mr Anwar: 'I believe that this has to be done urgently. There is no need for delay as Parliament will suffer.'
He added that the Election Commission was expected to notify the Speaker today ' so I can swear in. I have now decided to take the oath'.
The reference to the oath was a snide reference to pressure brought by his political enemies to swear that he is innocent in the sodomy allegation.
Mr Lim Kit Siang, adviser to PR partner, the Democratic Action Party (DAP), had questioned in his blog why there should be a delay in swearing in Mr Anwar, saying if the Barisan Nasional candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah had won, he would surely have been brought quickly into the Lower House.
'I believe nobody in Malaysia doubts that if Arif could win the Permatang Pauh by-election today, he would be sworn in as an MP in Parliament...latest by Thursday.
'Why then should the position be any different if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is re-elected as MP for the constituency and storms back to Parliament with a historic majority?' Mr Lim wrote.
Mr Anwar, asked whether his plan to topple the federal government by Sept 16 is on track, sidestepped the question. He had previously said that the plan was on schedule.
'I have said this and I don't want to repeat, but what is important is the spirit of concession. I have to get input from the Pakatan Rakyat leaders.'
The PR members are Mr Anwar's multiracial Parti Keadilan Rakyat, the Chinese-led DAP and conservative Parti Islam SeMalaysia.
One big focus of the Permatang Pauh by-election was on the sodomy allegation against Mr Anwar by his former aide. The case will be up for mention in court on Sept 10.
Asked about the case, Mr Anwar said: 'There is no case as far as I am concerned. There should not be any charge in the first place.
'I am extremely pleased that the people of Permatang Pauh, Muslims and non-Muslims, have made their position clear.'
The opposition leader hit out at Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, accusing him of carrying out a racial campaign. 'This should be considered a lesson that in any election or by-election, the issue must be the agenda and policy, not this sort of malicious, scurrilous and racist remarks.'
DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was present, said: 'This is a milestone as it shows that the BN's, particularly Umno's, use of racist and extremist issues has failed.'
Added PAS vice-president Husam Musa: 'The politics of insults and slander have been rejected by the people. People want fundamental change and unity and justice.'
CAROLYN HONG
'This should be considered a lesson that in any election or by-election, the issue must be the agenda and policy, not this sort of malicious, scurrilous and racist remarks.'
Mr Anwar, accusing DPM Najib Razak of carrying out a racial campaign
Mr Anwar, accusing DPM Najib Razak of carrying out a racial campaign
==========================================
Aug 27, 2008
Anwar plans future, BN accepts loss
Next step: How to topple federal govt
PERMATANG PAUH: While basking in victory yesterday, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the consummate politician, was already plotting his next moves.
He said he wanted to return to Parliament as soon as possible and consult his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners on his plan to topple the federal government. He also commented on his upcoming sodomy case.
Opposition chiefs who were present at the news conference said again yesterday they had agreed to appoint him as the parliamentary opposition leader, a post held by his wife before she stepped down as an MP to make way for him.
Mr Anwar said he wanted to be appointed as an MP before Friday when Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi will make his annual Budget speech. Mr Anwar was finance minister for eight years until 1998 and had presented the Budget.
But the Speaker of Parliament, Pandikar Amin Mulia has indicated that there was no urgency to swear Mr Anwar in as an MP.
Said Mr Anwar: 'I believe that this has to be done urgently. There is no need for delay as Parliament will suffer.'
He added that the Election Commission was expected to notify the Speaker today ' so I can swear in. I have now decided to take the oath'.
The reference to the oath was a snide reference to pressure brought by his political enemies to swear that he is innocent in the sodomy allegation.
Mr Lim Kit Siang, adviser to PR partner, the Democratic Action Party (DAP), had questioned in his blog why there should be a delay in swearing in Mr Anwar, saying if the Barisan Nasional candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah had won, he would surely have been brought quickly into the Lower House.
'I believe nobody in Malaysia doubts that if Arif could win the Permatang Pauh by-election today, he would be sworn in as an MP in Parliament...latest by Thursday.
'Why then should the position be any different if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is re-elected as MP for the constituency and storms back to Parliament with a historic majority?' Mr Lim wrote.
Mr Anwar, asked whether his plan to topple the federal government by Sept 16 is on track, sidestepped the question. He had previously said that the plan was on schedule.
'I have said this and I don't want to repeat, but what is important is the spirit of concession. I have to get input from the Pakatan Rakyat leaders.'
The PR members are Mr Anwar's multiracial Parti Keadilan Rakyat, the Chinese-led DAP and conservative Parti Islam SeMalaysia.
One big focus of the Permatang Pauh by-election was on the sodomy allegation against Mr Anwar by his former aide. The case will be up for mention in court on Sept 10.
Asked about the case, Mr Anwar said: 'There is no case as far as I am concerned. There should not be any charge in the first place.
'I am extremely pleased that the people of Permatang Pauh, Muslims and non-Muslims, have made their position clear.'
The opposition leader hit out at Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, accusing him of carrying out a racial campaign. 'This should be considered a lesson that in any election or by-election, the issue must be the agenda and policy, not this sort of malicious, scurrilous and racist remarks.'
DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was present, said: 'This is a milestone as it shows that the BN's, particularly Umno's, use of racist and extremist issues has failed.'
Added PAS vice-president Husam Musa: 'The politics of insults and slander have been rejected by the people. People want fundamental change and unity and justice.'
CAROLYN HONG
'This should be considered a lesson that in any election or by-election, the issue must be the agenda and policy, not this sort of malicious, scurrilous and racist remarks.'
Mr Anwar, accusing DPM Najib Razak of carrying out a racial campaign
