Anwar tells 'old man' Mahathir to just shut up

“Old man” Dr Mahathir Mohamad should just stay at home and keep quiet, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said today.

“This old man, he hasn’t stopped yet? That is enough, lah. He (and his family) is already very rich,” he told more than 1,000 people at the Batu PKR Chinese New Year open house event in Kuala Lumpur.

“He should stay at home quietly and take care of his grandchildren,” sniped Anwar (left) at his former mentor.

Speaking at the first of a planned five-constituency Chinese New Year open house celebrations, the de facto PKR leader also dismissed and ridiculed Mahathir’s insinuations that he (Anwar) was “close” with Israel.

“He said I am close to Israel. But before this he said I was close to the Chinese and will sell the country to the Chinese if I become PM.

“Dey, anna (hey, brother), which one is it?

“Recently I went to a Ponggal celebration. I wore the Indian hat. Like MGR (the late Indian movie idol). After this, is he going to say I am close to the Indians?” the Permatang Pauh MP hit out.

Anwar was commenting on a recent slew of caustic remarks made by Mahathir, labelling him as an Israeli stooge.

His speech was greeted with cheers and shouts from the mainly Chinese crowd who had earlier welcomed him with a lion dance display.

Anwar also led a yee sang ceremony, joined by leaders of PKR and other Pakatan component parties.

Warm greeting from 1,000-strong crowd

After Batu, the opposition leader made a short stop at a Chinese temple in Wangsa Maju for another Chinese New Year event.

Greeted warmly by a 1,000-plus crowd, made up predominantly of Chinese Malaysians, Anwar was treated to another lion dance performance and yee sang ceremony.

Anwar is scheduled to visit three more PKR-won constituencies today, at Bandar Tun Razak, Brickfields and Lembah Pantai.

Anwar's next visit was to the nearby Medan Makmur in Setapak, and then to Bandar Tun Razak, the constituency of Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.

The functions progressed well in those venues, with Anwar treated to more Chinese New Year celebrations and giving recycled versions of his rousing speech.

Though, as he moved on in his daughter Nurul Izzah's parliamentary constituency of Lembah Pantai, he did run into a snag as police refused to allow him to speak.

Nurul Izzah then went to the police station to negotiate.

When he arrived, Anwar proceeded to speak, though police were not around.

The conclusion of Anwar's day-long itinerary at a Ponggal celebration in Little India, Brickfields, also hit the same snag.

The police had given the permit for the event on the condition that Anwar does not speak.

Anwar promptly took the microphone when he arrived and the nearly one dozen police officers and men, uniformed and plainclothed, stood by and observed, and not not stop Anwar from speaking.

Anwar repeated his speech, hitting out at Mahathir and repeating his challenge to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for a debate.