Anwar Ibrahim in fiery form last night. — pictures by Choo Choy May
By Debra Chong
SHAH ALAM, July 2 – The trailer for "Saladin", the Malaysian animation, was showing on the projector screen in the indoor Stadium Melawati when Parti Keadilan Rakyat supporters started trickling in at 8pm yesterday for a last-minute ceramah.
The fight scene, which saw a fiery battle between a young and untested Saladin (the title character who later became a revered hero in both East and West) and the Crusaders was protracted and rather bloody.
However, it was a fitting starter to the night's programme.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been stepping up his pace of engagement since being hit by a second sodomy charge late last week. And if last night's rally is any indicator, it is now at fever pitch.
Earlier in the day, the unofficial head of PKR held several rounds of one-to-one interviews with members of the foreign media at the Quality Hotel in Shah Alam.
In the afternoon, he made a trip to the nearby Selangor Police Contingent Headquarters to lodge a report against the present Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail for fabricating evidence at his trial a decade ago.
And from there, it was a rush to PKR's new headquarters in Petaling Jaya for a press conference with the local media.
At night, it was back to Shah Alam to meet with supporters in the hastily-arranged ceramah to update them on what's really been going on since Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan's sodomy allegation bombshell.
Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul, who was also the emcee for the event, gave a slice of what was in store when he stepped up to the podium at 9pm.
"The drums of war have already sounded. This time, it's not their field but ours. We will tell the rakyat what really happened, who's really involved...things you won't read about in the local papers."
Other PKR leaders – vice-presidents R. Sivarasa and Azmin Ali – expounded at length on that topic. And when Anwar entered the arena an hour later, the crowd, which numbered roughly 2,000 in the beginning but later swelled close to 7,000, was fully roused and ready to do battle.
The crowd swells to 7,000 at Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam.
Anwar told them how he had planned to announce his political comeback in office through a by-election this very week, but is deferring to a later date because the "information was leaked from his office", thanks to Saiful, whom he said also had ties to the AG.
He told them about why he sought refuge at the Turkish embassy – that it was not his choice to but because his wife and children and Pakatan Rakyat compatriots were worried for his physical safety.
He told them about the death threats; about the report he had lodged with the police against their chief and the AG; about the web of lies the duo had concocted 10 years ago when he was thrown into jail, humiliated and physically abused then and how he was not going to stand for it a second time around.
He clarified for them his relationship with his current accuser, Saiful, who was not a personal aide as painted by the media but a mere volunteer staff during the election campaigning.
He fed them the same information he had given the media at the press conference earlier. But he also gave them extra.
Before, he had only alluded to their names, but last night, he made it clear who the conspirators were behind the allegations of sodomy against him.
"I have proof that a volunteer staff of mine had a personal relationship with the wife of the deputy prime minister and his office," cried Anwar.
He showed them a picture – by now widely circulated – of the 23-year-old posing with Khairil Anas Yusof, an aide to the DPM outside his office, which was projected onto a giant screen above the stage.
The masses, outraged, responded with fervour, calling out words too derogatory to be repeated.
Supporters listen intently to Anwar's every word while a giant screen flash images overhead.
"Datuk Najib wants to become prime minister. He should cleanse his name first. Rosmah wants to become the prime minister's wife..." he announced further but was drowned out by the roar of fury from the floor.
"I've said the involvement of the deputy prime minister, his wife and his aide...The person involved, in the picture, Khairil Anas, he should be careful," Anwar added.
And then he issued his challenge.
"There is no turning back...I will fight! I will fight morning, I will fight noon, I will fight evening, I will fight night! I will not stand for all this fitnah and such rotten things!" Anwar thundered.
"This is not a question of Anwar, but a question of saving Malaysia. The government mechanism should not be used to oppress the people...but to protect the interest of the people," he thundered when he entered the arena at 10pm.
And though he went on at length about a great many things, Anwar has got one thing right, if nothing else.
"The issue now is about national governance. Other issues...are mere distractions."
ooo! Very Well, i heard that Anwar about his trial.pakatan UMNO really driving Anwar insane...accusing Anwar...! So the Next election parti keadilan defence Anwar and lotsa polls next 4 years.Sangat Sedey kena fitnah cam tu kan!.
Jalla Allahu Fi 'oulah, Ma lana rabbun siwah.
laa ilaha illa Allah
He is a coward Turkish embassy what if he is innocent he would be in the street shouting his innoence....
You dont know about 1998 thingy right?
When he was accused of sodomy...the police forcefully detained him, punched his eye, broke his backbone and jailed him in a place sprayed with arsenic... in 2004 the Federal Court thrown out the "sodomy" case as it's not proven beyond reasonable doubt.....
Now it just the same script, but only the "victim" is different... he was traumatised with the 1998 incident and got death threats....his political party advised him to hide himself for safety...or he'll be blown like altantuya...
Now, the government guaranteed his safety, he filed defamation suit againts the "victim" as he has a very strong alibi....
After lots of lies being told by BN government, do you think we Malaysians would believe this sodomy thingy....not anymore.
ooo! Very Well, i heard that Anwar about his trial.pakatan UMNO really driving Anwar insane...accusing Anwar...! So the Next election parti keadilan defence Anwar and lotsa polls next 4 years.Sangat Sedey kena fitnah cam tu kan!.
Memang sedey (it's sad)
Almost all non-Muslims dont believe this allegation, and only ultra-nationalists believe this story because they dont Anwar to be the next PM.
Well the president sayed that everyone will protect him well it said on Al Jazzera anyway...;
We dont have President, that's our stupid prime minister who always warning the people to stop questioning about "Ketuanan Melayu" (Malay Lordship on the minority)...
I am officially registered as a Malay, and I want "Ketuanan Melayu" to be replaced with "Kuasa Rakyat" (People's Power)...
I wont accept a racist concept...it's against ISlam.
Memang Betul...i am agreed. Sebenarnya Anwar itu timbalan menteri setelah Mahathir taruk khaw khaw Anwar di penjarakan if not Anwar nai Jadi PM...
Harga minyak naik,apa apa naik....ape ape ajelah...huhu....Hope Anwar Stands for the right...huhu.
Jalla Allahu Fi 'oulah, Ma lana rabbun siwah.
laa ilaha illa Allah
Memang Betul...i am agreed. Sebenarnya Anwar itu timbalan menteri setelah Mahathir taruk khaw khaw Anwar di penjarakan if not Anwar nai Jadi PM...
Harga minyak naik,apa apa naik....ape ape ajelah...huhu....Hope Anwar Stands for the right...huhu.
In 1998, Anwar want to challange Mahathir in order to be the Prime Minister, and he was accused to be a sodomite...
In 2008, Anwar want to form a government and be the Prime Minister in September, and again accused to be a sodomite...
Conclusion - if you want to challange the current Prime Minister, you'll be accused as a Sodomite.
KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 – Days after fresh sodomy claims tripped his journey to power, two opinion polls show most believe Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is innocent and believe the charges are politically-motivated.
The independent Merdeka Centre research firm conducted a small survey and found just six percent of respondents believed the allegations while nearly 60 precent saw it as politically motivated.
It's going to be an uphill battle for the government because you are facing a more cynical public," the firm's pollster, Ibrahim Suffian, told the Reuters news agency. The survey polled 225 ethnic Malays aged 20 and above.
Another survey by the Malaysiakini website showed 94.4 percent of its respondents believed the allegation was part of a political conspiracy against Anwar, who led three opposition parties to an unprecendented 82 parliament seats and control of four more states in the March elections.
Malaysia's current political uncertainty - with an embattled prime minister facing calls to quit, a deputy prime minister facing allegations of links to a murder and Anwar's alleged sexual misconduct - also dragged the stock market lower again, with the benchmark Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) down 1.7 percent at the midday break. The index has lost about 3 percent so far this week.
Ratings agency Fitch, which has a positive outlook for Malaysia's foreign currency rating and a stable outlook for the local currency, told Reuters it was monitoring the impact of the political situation on economic policies.
"The concern that we have would be that the political situation begins to affect the policy outlook. There is not really much evidence of that just yet," said James McCormack, head of Asia sovereign ratings at Fitch.
"It appears to us there is a political transition of sorts under way in Malaysia. The question is how fast does that move and how significant is it. And I think some of those answers are still unclear," he added.
11.34 Bangkok time - Anwar Ibrahim tells the media not to “censor” the name of the high profile minister mentioned in the press conference.
(About 11am, Bangkok time) Anwar Ibrahim’s press conference today revealed that Najib Tun Razak had introduced “Amina” a.k.a Altantuya Shariibuu to Abdul Razak Baginda at a diamond exhibition in Singapore.
All these were revealed by a private investigator named Balasubramaniam Perumal who appeared in the Altantuya trials. He fears for his safety and has revealed only now the details because the Prosecution is wrapping up the case. Bala has also made a statutory declaration and he was represented by his lawyer Americk Singh.
Najib had also told Baginda that he had sexual intercourse with Altantuya.
Najib asked Baginda to “take care” of Altantuya as he did not want her to harass him since he was now the deputy prime minister.
Wow! There is more…
Najib, Baginda and Altantuya had been in a dinner together in Paris.
Altantuya wanted money from Baginda as she said she was entitled to a 500,000USD commission out of the submarine deal in Paris.
Press conference now at Anwar’s office in Tropicana. Stay tuned!
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Anwar Ibrahim in fiery form last night. — pictures by Choo Choy May
The crowd swells to 7,000 at Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam.
Supporters listen intently to Anwar's every word while a giant screen flash images overhead.
Jalla Allahu Fi 'oulah, Ma lana rabbun siwah.
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