your say'Everyone is entitled to express his own opinion. Ex-mufti Asri's opinion may not be the sound one, but let the rakyat decide.'

Ex-mufti: Anwar should retire

Jamah Lubah: I totally disagree with ex-Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin as he is an ‘ex-' too. Anwar Ibrahim is not an ex-deputy PM but an incoming PM, and he has not even passed his prime yet.

Without Anwar, no one can truly forge a united and formidable opposition front, which include PKR, PAS, DAP, SNAP, PSM and others. Anwar is the unifying force in our push for a two-party system.

Keep it up, Anwar, and fellow Pakatan Rakyat supporters. Do not be influenced by this ex-mufti who has passed his prime.

Ferdtan: It is not surprising that the well-respected former Perlis mufti, out of the blue, has issued a political statement to 'request' or 'plead' for Anwar to retire from politics.

Obviously he is up to some mischief, as he needs a favour from the authorities - he has a charge hanging over his head in the Syariah Court over the alleged offence of conducting a religious lecture without certification.

If found guilty, he can be jailed for one to two years and be fined RM3,000, or both. It is a pity that even a pious man like Mohd Asri can fear man more than God.

Rick Teo: Asri, why don't you also ask Najib Razak to retire gracefully? He has been in politics for a long time, too, and with his Altantuya Shaariibuu baggage, don't you think he should also go? Why only Anwar?

Rhi: The majority of the rakyat think Anwar Ibrahim is still relevant and needed to lead the opposition pack, and I think he has no choice other than to proceed with what he is doing now.

ABIL: This should be the concern of PKR, and if the ex-mufti wants to play politics, he should join PKR to have his say. Shooting his mouth off just before the Galas and Batu Sapi by-elections suggests devious machinations from BN goons.

Adha: As a well-respected scholar by friends and foes, I think that the timing of this comment from Asri is not wise. Asri, what are you up to? Yes, people are saying that it's the beginning of Umno's supreme hold over you. But I hope they are wrong.

Kazakh: If the former Perlis mufti is of this opinion, let's respect his opinion and leave it at that. It's just his opinion. Whether he has any insidious intentions or gains for making this statement, only Allah would know. What is more important is for Anwar to prove that he still has the fire in him and he is still relevant.
To me, Anwar cannot topple this Umno/BN regime all by himself. He will need us, the rakyat, to oust this corrupt regime.

Avatar: Dr Asri, in Malaysia, if there is no Anwar, there is no opposition. He is the driving force in uniting the diverse political ideologies of PAS, DAP and PKR into one forceful of opposition. Say what you may Dr Asri, I still have the strongest respect for Anwar, and I believe he has a long way to go before calling it a day.

If our beloved ex-PM Dr Mahathir Mohamed can't really retire from politics and still causing havoc with his statements and is the root cause behind Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's decision to step down - why should Anwar step down now when we are gearing up for the next general elections?

Gandhi: It is his opinion, just as everyone, Asri is entitled to express his own opinion. It may not be the sound one, but let the rakyat decide.

Anti-Communalist: I agree with Asri - Anwar has outlived his political time and he would win more support for the opposition if he gracefully stands down.

His 15 years or so in Umno with his mentor Mahathir has done immeasurable damage to all Malaysians. Together with Mahathir, they have systematically brought about racial divisions among all of us. After losing his job in 1998, Anwar went on a 'reformasi' crusade to get his job back, but he miscalculated and only targeted the Muslim population. The non-Muslims have never trusted Anwar, and hence Anwar's plan to regain power fell flat on his face.

In prison, he realised where he failed and came out singing a different tune, being multiracial this time - that, too, only after the failure of high-level underground talks with the powers-that-be within Umno to rejoin the party.

In 2008, he succeeded to rally most Malaysians but not without the Hindraf/Bersih sentiments and rallies. Since 1998, Malaysians are still fighting over the sodomy allegations. It's time to move on.

Concerned Citizen: I tend to agree with the ex-mufti. Anwar has way too much baggage to be an effective PM. Will he be respected by leaders from other countries? Even the US does not want to have anything to do with him.

Croniq: I hope that even after attending the Umno general assembly, Asri will still retain his neutrality as a columnist for Malaysiakini. We need objective, critical thinking here, not Umno drivel.

Focus: Asri, you see present domestic politics from just here and now. This is a shallow and myopic view. There are many benefits to reap for the opposition parties arising out of Anwar's international acclaims.

Gen2indian: Sorry, Asri, I have to disagree with you on this. Anwar is the ‘glue' that's keeping Pakatan together. If you think he's irrelevant, then why do tens of thousands of people, me included, travel hundreds of miles to hear him speak? If God has a plan, He put Anwar through this trial to make him a better man and thereafter, a better PM for all Malaysians.

If you talk of competence and integrity, does anyone in the current government, or over the last 30 years, qualify? Age is but a number, Asri. History is littered with people who made a lasting impression well into their twilight years - Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela and Mohandas Gandhi come to mind immediately.

I truly admire the tenacity of Anwar - he is the last hope for many well-informed people who want deliverance from this corrupted government.

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