A 'second-hand car' named Anwar

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has been compared to a 'second-hand car' trying to shed a mangled past and refurbish himself as the new champion of all Malaysians.

Recalling Anwar's statements while in government more than 10 years ago, Salleh Kalbi (BN-Silam) said the former deputy prime minister was in Parliament for the second time in his life and trying to 'deceive' the people in Sarawak and Sabah into seeing him as their saviour.

"Anwar (left) when he goes there (Sabah), umph! Nobody pays any attention to him. Because they are not easily deceived by Anwar Ibrahim," the MP said during the debate session this afternoon.

"The opposition leader, I describe him as a second-hand car coming into this Dewan Rakyat.”

However, an opposition MP then rose to Anwar’s defence saying: "But it’s (the car) running with a new engine!"

According to Salleh, only the Barisan Nasional (BN) government has been consistent in seeking to promote the welfare and advancement of all states.

Recounting the Budget 1996 speech delivered by Anwar when he was deputy prime minister and finance minister, Salleh said the former refused to address allegations by then Keningau MP Joseph Pairin Kitingan (right) that Sabahans were being marginalised by the public sector.

Reading from the Hansard of Nov 14, 1995 Salleh said Anwar had chided Kitingan for being locked in the “old books” and ways of thinking and for being mistrustful of the Public Services Commission’s independence and meritocracy-based recruitment policy:

“(Anwar said:) Keningau is casting harsh allegations against the federal government of supposedly oppressing Sabahans. Speaker, this is an old song that is being re-sung... Perhaps it is due to the previous leadership dispute between the Sabah government and the federal government.

“But circumstances have changed. So I recommend Keningau to open up new books and not to be driven solely by old sentiments. For example... the issue of appointments (in the public sector), this is carried out by the Public Services Commission, a body that is independent. The appointments are carried out according to the conditions set by the commission.

“Similarly, the issue of promotions is determined based on merit. Whatever the case may be, objections and (expressions of) dissatisfaction are often raised and these are taken into consideration. (But) it does not mean we should entertain every expression of dissatisfaction.

“Because the principle upheld by the public service performance evaluation is that of management performance, justice, objectivity, consultation and transparency.”

‘A village champion’

Citing another statement by Anwar when he was education minister, Salleh said he was sad to have been told as a student that there were insufficient funds to provide Sabahan youth with university scholarships.

“The education minister then, very disappointingly and sadly, said the budget from the education ministry and the (Public Services Department) JPA did not have (sufficient) allocation for Sabahan students,” said Salleh.

“Why does he now want to become the village champion for Sabah and Sarawak? This shows that he only wants to appear as a hero for Sabah and Sarawak.

“When he was deputy prime minister and finance minister, why did he not pay attention to develop and give a bigger budget to Sarawak?

“We support this BN government and prove that we take care of all races and not certain individuals,” said Salleh in reference to allegations that Anwar had practised a policy of favouritism during his time in the cabinet.