Anwar: Only candidates with integrity for S'wak
Stephen TiongPublished: Mar 12, 2011 10:09 AM | Updated: Mar 12, 2011 11:20 AM
PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has directed Sarawak party chief Baru Bian to select candidates with high integrity for the upcoming state elections.
In a wide-ranging speech at the State PKR's annual convention at Batu Kawah, near Kuching today, he vowed to reject candidates without integrity.
PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has directed Sarawak party chief Baru Bian to select candidates with high integrity for the upcoming state elections.
In a wide-ranging speech at the State PKR's annual convention at Batu Kawah, near Kuching today, he vowed to reject candidates without integrity.
"If these candidates become part of the government in the event that the Opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, wins the next elections, they will destroy the administration," he said.
He said PKR needed the right candidates so they can defend the people's rights.
Anwar (right in photo, with Baru Bian in blue and white shirt) also speculated that the state and general elections could be held simultaneously.
"You must remember this - you have to work doubly hard. You have to visit every nook and corner of Sarawak, every village and settlement, hold discussions at the grassroots level as well as reach out to every level of society."
Bracing for the hurdles ahead
"We have to race against money, time, threats and intimidation. You need to prepare yourself," said Anwar.
"If we are ready, and once the people have made their decisions, nothing can stop them, not even Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, Prime Minister Najib Razak or his Rosmah Mansor."
He urged the delegates to inform the younger generation of their concerns for their right to health services and customary land rights.
"You ask the people to give us a chance to govern Sarawak, and together, we'll all take over Putrajaya. Only then we can see changes," he said.
Anwar also directed PKR leaders of all level to maintain and strengthen their relationship with the leaders of the component parties of the Pakatan.
"We need to meet regularly with them, have breakfast or tea, discuss or argue with them to create bond of friendship.
"If this happen, I am sure we will take over Sarawak and Malaysia," he added.
Power fertile ground for greed
He said the people cannot expect the present BN government to take care of them because they are worse than the past English colonial masters.
"What they can sweep, they sweep all," Anwar said, adding it was a dramatic contrast to the era of the Rajah Brooke who had a heart for the people ensuring that their rights and land were protected.
The BN government uses community and religious leaders to instil fear or force blind loyalty and intimidate the ordinary people, he added.
"What we see today is blind loyalty among the ordinary people, although they know that they have been deprived of their rights and NCR land," he said.
"Sarawak is rich in natural resources, but the people are poor. Only the elite and ruling class have benefitted from Taib's politics of development," he said.
On defections of PKR members of parliament to the BN, he said what happened in PKR had also been experienced by DAP and PAS in the past.
"They (DAP and PAS) became stronger after the cleansing process in the leadership," he said.
Warning against dirty tactics
"We hope we in PKR be in the same position and it seems that we are moving in that direction," he said.
Anwar also wanted Sarawak PKR to be always on guard against BN's tactics to break up their rank and file, before the state polls.
Speaking to reporters later, Anwar said Pakatan leaders have called for the speeding up of the joint manifesto, holding a convention as well as finalising the seat allocations.
"I have asked Baru to speed up the resolution of the overlapping of seats issue among the Pakatan component parties in Sarawak," he said. At at the national level he is already in touch with PAS and DAP leaders on the matter, he added.
On the same problem between PKR and Snap, he said in principle PKR does not rule out discussions with anybody on the matter, so long as they accept the coalition's principles on politics, governance and economy.
On Snap's demand for 28 seats, Anwar dismissed it as their view.
"It is not that easy," he said. None of the Snap leaders attended today's PKR convention despite being invited.
"They must be very busy," Anwar said in jest.
In a wide-ranging speech at the State PKR's annual convention at Batu Kawah, near Kuching today, he vowed to reject candidates without integrity.
"If these candidates become part of the government in the event that the Opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, wins the next elections, they will destroy the administration," he said.
He said PKR needed the right candidates so they can defend the people's rights. Anwar (right in photo, with Baru Bian in blue and white shirt) also speculated that the state and general elections could be held simultaneously.
"You must remember this - you have to work doubly hard. You have to visit every nook and corner of Sarawak, every village and settlement, hold discussions at the grassroots level as well as reach out to every level of society."
Bracing for the hurdles ahead
"We have to race against money, time, threats and intimidation. You need to prepare yourself," said Anwar.
"If we are ready, and once the people have made their decisions, nothing can stop them, not even Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, Prime Minister Najib Razak or his Rosmah Mansor."
He urged the delegates to inform the younger generation of their concerns for their right to health services and customary land rights.
"You ask the people to give us a chance to govern Sarawak, and together, we'll all take over Putrajaya. Only then we can see changes," he said.
Anwar also directed PKR leaders of all level to maintain and strengthen their relationship with the leaders of the component parties of the Pakatan.
"We need to meet regularly with them, have breakfast or tea, discuss or argue with them to create bond of friendship.
"If this happen, I am sure we will take over Sarawak and Malaysia," he added.
Power fertile ground for greed
He said the people cannot expect the present BN government to take care of them because they are worse than the past English colonial masters.
"What they can sweep, they sweep all," Anwar said, adding it was a dramatic contrast to the era of the Rajah Brooke who had a heart for the people ensuring that their rights and land were protected.The BN government uses community and religious leaders to instil fear or force blind loyalty and intimidate the ordinary people, he added.
"What we see today is blind loyalty among the ordinary people, although they know that they have been deprived of their rights and NCR land," he said.
"Sarawak is rich in natural resources, but the people are poor. Only the elite and ruling class have benefitted from Taib's politics of development," he said.
On defections of PKR members of parliament to the BN, he said what happened in PKR had also been experienced by DAP and PAS in the past.
"They (DAP and PAS) became stronger after the cleansing process in the leadership," he said.
Warning against dirty tactics
"We hope we in PKR be in the same position and it seems that we are moving in that direction," he said.
Anwar also wanted Sarawak PKR to be always on guard against BN's tactics to break up their rank and file, before the state polls.
Speaking to reporters later, Anwar said Pakatan leaders have called for the speeding up of the joint manifesto, holding a convention as well as finalising the seat allocations.
"I have asked Baru to speed up the resolution of the overlapping of seats issue among the Pakatan component parties in Sarawak," he said. At at the national level he is already in touch with PAS and DAP leaders on the matter, he added.
On the same problem between PKR and Snap, he said in principle PKR does not rule out discussions with anybody on the matter, so long as they accept the coalition's principles on politics, governance and economy.
On Snap's demand for 28 seats, Anwar dismissed it as their view.
"It is not that easy," he said. None of the Snap leaders attended today's PKR convention despite being invited.
"They must be very busy," Anwar said in jest.
View Comments0