Anwar says PKR started as an anti-Mahathir party
It is like asking Israelis to remember the holocaust when Adolf Hitler is the Prime Minister of Israel. Would that not be an insult to Israel’s Prime Minister? And now Anwar is reminding PKR members that “This party was born from the cause of fighting abuse of power and corruption” when Mahathir is their Prime Minister.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Anwar Ibrahim’s and Dr Wan Azizah Ismail’s statements (which you can read below) are most interesting.
First of all, Anwar and Wan Azizah are asking PKR members to stop the slandering and dirty politics, which are being applied in the campaign for the PKR party elections due to be held at the end of this month. The mud-slinging has become so serious that Anwar and Wan Azizah are forced to step in.
Secondly, and even more important, is Anwar’s statement, “This party was born from the cause of fighting abuse of power and corruption.”
PKR, which started as ADIL in 1998, became Parti Keadilan Nasional (PKN) in April 1999 and then PKR
Basically, PKR, which was launched on 4th April 1999, was born as an anti-Mahathir party. The main mission for PKR was to oust Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was labelled as the most corrupt Prime Minister in Malaysian history, and jail him for abuse of power and corruption.
In fact, the PKR people used to call Mahathir Malaysia’s Mugabe. Other labels PKR gave Mahathir were Mahazalim, Mahafiraun, Mister 10%, Bapak Rasuah, and so on.
The anti-Mahathir sentiment is still very strong in the party
It is ironical that Anwar brought this up to remind PKR members as to why the party was formed when the very purpose for the formation of the party, which is Mahathir, is now the Prime Minister for PKR and Pakatan Harapan.
It is like asking Israelis to remember the holocaust when Adolf Hitler is the Prime Minister of Israel. Would that not be an insult to Israel’s Prime Minister? And now Anwar is reminding PKR members that “This party was born from the cause of fighting abuse of power and corruption” when Mahathir is their Prime Minister.
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PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim today warned candidates in the party elections not to leverage on their government positions to win votes.
He said the party elections should be held in the family spirit, in line with PKR’s quest for reform and ethical values.
“This party was born from the cause of fighting abuse of power and corruption.”
“All candidates must avoid abuse of power, meaning the deputy prime minister, ministers, deputy ministers and executive councillors must not use their positions to either induce or force members to vote for them,” he said at a news conference at the PKR headquarters today.
Rafizi Ramli is also reminding PKR members that PKR started as a Reformasi movement and has now deviated from its original charter
Also present was PKR president and Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Voting in the PKR polls will take place at the end of this month.
Anwar, who will succeed Wan Azizah as president after winning the post unchallenged at the close of nominations, also reminded the party’s election committee (JPP) to act impartially in performing its tasks.
The JPP must stay clean and independent, and be firm in monitoring the elections, he said, adding that “voices expressing concern” had been heard.
“Statements that hurt feelings, that slander and revile (others) must stop. JPP must take firm action.”
“I stress here that as long as I am given the mandate to lead, I will not compromise in our party’s fight against abuse of power, arrogance, corruption and wastefulness.”
“Neither friends nor foes must exhibit these traits,” he said.
The Reformasi movement wanted only one thing: for Mahathir to be ousted and sent to jail for corruption and abuse of power
Meanwhile, Wan Azizah called on members to prevent the elections from being tainted by dirty political tactics and negative elements that dishonoured democratic principles.
She said PKR should hold itself up as a model of principled struggle to other parties.
“After the last general election, we succeeded in becoming a dominant party in the government and the democratic process is going well.”
“So we don’t want to see any elements working to bring down each other or making personal attacks in these elections,” she said.
