Nurul defends Pakatan's focus on dad 
MalaysiaKini.com
Mar 18, 2015     
By Koh Jun Lin 

PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah has defended the focus on her father Anwar Ibrahim, saying his continued incarceration is a testament to a host of issues in the country.

She was responding to former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim (right), who said Pakatan Rakyat needs to show that it has more to offer in its struggle than merely ensuring justice for Anwar.

"In Anwar's case, his continued detention points to a whole set of issues that stresses the need for reform in Malaysia.

"So Zaid should keep up with the latest developments in this country," she added.

Struggle for reform beyond Anwar

She said since the 13th general election, about 60 activists have been "persecuted" under colonial-era laws, including herself and her father, for championing democratic rights in Malaysia.

"That the dragnet has reached such a scale is testament to the struggle for reform that is beyond Anwar," she added.

Anwar is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for sodomy, but he claims that the charges were part of a political conspiracy against him. But the government has denied this.

In Zaid's blog, the former minister said while he understands Pakatan’s loyalty to Anwar, other issues such as racial discrimination and increasing religious fundamentalism need to be addressed too.

He argued that Pakatan is avoiding taking a stand on these issues so to avoid the risk of losing Malay support or upsetting PAS.

He said non-Malay politicians should not be lulled into a false sense of security by the federal constitution’s protections, because religious fundamentalist - whom he called "Talibans" - do not consider man-made laws worthy of respect.

"There are, I am afraid, worse injustices in our country than that of Anwar. The opposition must show us all that there is more to their struggle," he added. 

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