On PM's mocking, Anwar cites Umno founder
MalaysiaKini.com
Oct 13, 2014

PARLIAMENT Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today cited Umno founder Onn Jaafar's campaign against feudalism in defending Pakatan Rakyat's brush with the Selangor palace over the appointment of the state menteri besar.

Anwar said this in reference to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's budget speech last Friday, in which Najib mocked the opposition for earning the Selangor ruler's wrath by submitting a single candidate for menteri besar, despite a request for multiple candidates.

"I would like to explain this matter because I do not want this 'murka' (wrath) term (to be misused). Murka means we go against or disrespect the ruler.

"I have never issued any statement that questions the position of the Malay rulers or insulted them, inside or outside the House.

"But I would like to stress this principle: the late national leader and Umno founder Onn Jaafar, whom I respect, stressed that the founding of Umno was to free minds and the country from the practice of feudalism," Anwar said when debating the budget speech in Parliament this afternoon.

Anwar said that even though Onn had an aristocratic background, he had sought to free the people from the shackles of British colonialism as well as feudalism.
 
He added that even Umno was prompted to act in 1983 and 1993 by amending the constitution - where the monarchy is held in high regard - but at the same time prevented them from committing crime or going against the constitution to enable the rakyat to choose their own leaders. 
 
"Regardless of who is in power, the principle of constitutional monarchy must be upheld," added Anwar.
 
This, he said, was elaborated at length by the then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
 
"But I am unwilling to read it out here as the tone is very harsh," he said.
 
At this, Noh Omar (BN-Tanjung Karang) questioned why Pakatan could not just comply with the Selangor sultan's request when it had in 2008 submitted three names to the Perak sultan for the menteri besar candidate.
 
Anwar then replied that it was a matter of the respective political parties to decide.
 
"Why do you insist that we should have submitted three names? In the next election, Umno can submit three names to the (Yang Dipertuan) Agong  (for prime minister’s post),” he shot back.
 
Earlier, Anwar criticised Najib's budget speech for not raising issues on combating corruption and improving transparency.
 
He added that the savings of taxpayers monies from such a measure can help put off the need of the controversial Goods and Services Tax (GST).
 
Anwar (left) also defended Pakatan's proposal of a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) as an alternative to GST where the former is more focussed on the wealthy, as compared to the latter which also taxes the country's poor.
 
He added that Pakatan was not trying to tax the rich's wealth but merely on the profits they make in shares and bonds, if any.
 
Shortly before Anwar concluded his speech, Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) stood up and questioned if the opposition leader supported the government's plan to hike the allowances of MPs.
 
At this, he replied: "I accept it after receiving explanation from Arau (MP)and the prime minister. (We opposed it) previously because it was too high as the increase was almost two folds".

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