PKR rebuts Mukhriz's anti-Anwar speech
Malaysiakini.com
May 17, 2008 

PKR secretary-general Salehuddin Hashim today issued a point-by-point rebuttal of Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir’s scathing speech accusing Anwar Ibrahim of anti-Islamic involvement.
MCPX

During his maiden speech in Parliament on Tuesday, Mukhriz alluded that:

• Anwar was “in cahoots” with “Iraqi mass murderer” Paul Wolfowitz, as the latter had penned an article in an issue of Time magazine which named the former as one of the world’s 100 influential leaders for 2008
• A Jerusalem Post article mooted Anwar as Malaysia’s future prime minister and that “this proves Israel agrees with the idea of Anwar becoming prime minister”
• An international organisation chaired by Anwar, Foundation of the Future, received US35 million from the United states, among others

On the Time magazine article, Salehuddin said that the choice of the author was an independent decision made by the organisation and that Mukhriz had “conveniently” failed to note a significant passage in Wolfowitz article.

Wolfowitz, well known for his friendship with Anwar, had wrote that the latter had in 2004 been “harshly critical” of the US policy on Iraq and did not break ties despite the disagreement.

“By not burning bridges only speaks of his statesmanship, as clearly, blindly severing ties would not have helped to stop the war or contribute towards any hope for peace in the future,” said Salehuddin in a statement today.

Israel link

mukhriz mahathir gaza fund 010208 smilesOn Mukhriz’s attempt to link the Jerusalem Post article to Anwar’s alleged ties with Israel, Salehuddin said that the accusation “borders on ridiculous”.

“If Mukhriz can prove that the Jerusalem Post was the only newspaper in the entire world to speculate that Anwar may well be the next prime minister, then perhaps his accusations may actually hold some water.

“The truth is that the media in the rest of the world does not come under the control of Barisan Nasional, unlike the media in Malaysia,” he said.

Salehuddin however did not dispute Mukhriz's assertion that the Foundation for the Future accepted money from the US, but criticised the latter for failing to take note of how the money was channeled to Muslim countries.

According to the list supplied by Salehuddin, the organisation had channeled funds into civil society efforts in Jordan, Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt.

Salehuddin said the facts showed that there were nothing suspicious of Anwar’s involvement and accused Mukriz of jealousy and having misguided conceptions.

Diversion attempt

Instead, Salehuddin said Mukhriz should have been proud that Anwar chairs a foundation consisting of prominent international personalities and was the first Malaysian to be included in the Time magazine list.

salehuddin hashim interview 110408 thinking“There is clearly nothing suspicious in Dato' Seri Anwar's involvements and working relationships. Sadly, the same cannot be said for those close to Mukhriz,” said Salehuddin.

He said that Malaysians would have to “bear the shame” that Mahathir, during his tenure as prime minister, was exposed to have paid RM4.6 million to American lobbyist Jack Ambramoff to secure a meeting with President George Bush.

Describing Abramoff as a “staunch pro-Zionist American lobbyist”, Salehuddin questioned Mahathir’s association with the lobbyist who had pleaded guilty in 2006 of corruption.

“We note that Anwar has no need to pay anyone in order to be invited by global leaders and heads of state, and are proud of his standing internationally, especially in the Islamic world, where his views as a statesman and a scholar are held in extremely high regard.

“Mukhriz's attacks are clearly a desperate attempt to deflect public attention from the royal commission report that implicates his father's abuse of power and systematic destruction of the integrity of our judiciary.

“We invite all to objectively scrutinise Anwar's record as an exemplary Malaysian, Muslim and Malay leader who has invariably and consistently stood for what is right, and what is just - for Malays, Muslims, Malaysians, and for every human being,” Salehuddin added. 

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