KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim challenged the opposition to file a motion for a vote of no confidence against him at the Dewan Rakyat session this October.
The PKR president said the opposition should follow the law and not just play on sentiment or just go around shouting for him to step down from the position.
“There are 30 people telling me to step down (from the position of prime minister)…what did they think? (That) this country has no rules, no law, no system?
“To urge someone to step down, please file a motion for a vote of no confidence in the Dewan Rakyat session this October…even if the motion is late, I will approve it,” he said while speaking at a PKR gathering yesterday.
The gathering themed “From Reformasi to Malaysia Madani” and held at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil was also attended by the prime minister’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PKR Secretary-General Fuziah Salleh, PKR Information Chief Fahmi Fadzil and almost 10,000 people.
The prime minister said the actions of the opposition leaders were also seen as trying to influence supporters with the sentiment of dismissing him as prime minister recklessly.
He also criticised the attitude of the opposition who do not reflect the struggle of Islam because they like to spread slander, hurl abusive words and swear at political opponents.
He said the opposition also relentlessly uses narratives about the efforts and success of the unity government under his leadership.
“They say our economy is ruined… don’t they read the newspaper? The ringgit has strengthened,” he said during the gathering which commemorated the beginning of the Reformasi movement on September 20, 1998.
Anwar also chided the attitude of the opposition who often used his status as an ex-convict as capital to criticise his administration.
“Yes, I am indeed an ex-prisoner, but an honourable prisoner who faced cruel and vile accusations,” stressed Anwar.
He added that the current generation of the opposition seems to have no strategy as they only hurl slander and insults, whereas when he was a victim of tyranny while in power as deputy prime minister, there were big names in PAS who defended him.
Among them were the late Datuk Fadzil Noor, the late Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat and former grand imam of the National Mosque of Kuala Lumpur Ustaz Datuk Taib Azamudden Mohd Taib.
“Now their children who are ignorant of history – who became tools for corrupt people, who became tools for property thieves – want to be champions,” he said.
Anwar insisted that during the two years, he had steered the administration of the federal government, he did not allow any tender to be taken by the country’s leaders, different from when the opposition was in power for almost two years.
“Name what was not taken – Bestari Net, Jana Wibawa, flood mitigation contract, everything was swiped up in the name of religion and race.
“I kept quiet for a long time…tonight I am not speaking as the prime minister but as Anwar Ibrahim, the reformist,” he said. – September 21, 2024