Anwar: What discord? Criticism within Pakatan part of new culture
“You have an old Umno mindset. You see just a bit of criticism, and you panic. Let it be. This is a new culture. We give criticism, and we air our views.”
(The Star) – Exchange of criticism between Pakatan Harapan leaders is normal, part of a new culture and does not necessarily signal discord, says PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He also gave the media a rap on the knuckles, saying there was a need to shake off the “old Umno mindset”, whereby any criticism from within the same camp created panic.
Anwar said this in response to requests for comments on PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli, who said the government had to admit that it lacked an effective communication strategy to counter the racist and Malay-Muslim narrative pushed by Umno and PAS.
“That was his criticism. What is there to worry about?
“You have an old Umno mindset. You see just a bit of criticism, and you panic. Let it be.
“This is a new culture. We give criticism, and we air our views.
“Although the media is free now, you are still shackled by the old mindset,” said Anwar, when asked to comment about Rafizi’s statement during a forum on Malay issues on Thursday night (April 11).
He said he himself had given his two sen’s worth to Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo recently.
“I asked Gobind about this and that yesterday, and this is normal. I gave him my opinions, and I also told him that he had better do something for better Internet access.
“He’s okay. He accepted my views nicely,” said the Port Dickson MP when met in Kampung Felda Sendayan near here on Friday (April 12).
Anwar was in town to stump for the PKR candidate for the Rantau by-election, Dr S. Streram, who is in a four-cornered fight with Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and independent candidates R. Malarvizhi and Mohd Nor Yassin.
Polling will take place on Saturday (April 13) for this constituency, which is about 25 minutes’ drive away from Seremban.
Rantau has 20,926 registered voters with 55.51% Malay, 18.46% Chinese, 26% Indian and others at 0.03%.
