Anwar attacked in Parliament over US links
Malaysiakini.com
May 13, 2008 
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz & Rahmah Ghazali

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and his plan to become prime minister came under attack in the Dewan Rakyat today.
MCPX

mukhriz mahathirIn his debate on the royal address, Mukhriz Mahathir (BN-Jerlun) put the spotlight on Anwar’s involvement with organisations and individuals who figured prominently in the US military campaigns.

Citing an April 28, 2008 write-up in Time magazine by former US deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz, Mukhriz asked why one of the chief strategists of the US war against Iraq was describing Anwar in such glowing terms.

"Why should Anwar be in cahoots with this murderer of more than one million Iraqis?" he asked.

Wolfowitz, who also headed the World Bank, is the same person whose girlfriend Shaha Ali Reza Anwar had been appointed to the neo-conservative NGO Foundation of the Future, Mukhriz alleged.

Reza’s transfer had caused ripples when it was found that the transfer - arranged at Wolfowitz’s behest - would raise Reza’s salary by 36 percent, from US$133,000 (RM452,000) to US$193,590 (RM659,000).

Anwar has previously refuted the allegation that he was involved in Reza’s appointment to Foundation of the Future, saying she was assigned to the organisation before he became its chairperson.

Mukhriz, however, went on to question the nature and background of Foundation of the Future, claiming that among its sources of funds is the US State Department.

Who will succeed Anwar as PM?

Mukhriz also asked why the Jerusalem Post in Israel saw it fit to laud Anwar in a March 20 article entitled ‘Malaysia’s future prime minister’.

"Is this proof that Israel also approves Anwar becoming prime minister of Malaysia? If it does so approve, why?" he asked.

"The question is, why should Anwar - who is directly involved in an organisation of questionable background and is a close friend of the neo-conservative disciple who has killed Muslims in Iraq, Paul Wolfowitz - be allowed to take over the leadership of this beloved country?

"Certainly not! As long as there is life in this body, Umno will stand firm in defending the sovereignty of our country!" said Mukhriz.

anwar ibrahim vk lingam hearing pc 290108 talkingAbdul Rahman Dahlan (BN-Kota Belud), meanwhile, took a swipe at Anwar’s ambitions of becoming prime minister by asking Pakatan Rakyat who would succeed Anwar if his plans materialised.

"Is it Permatang Pauh (MP Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) who has long been afraid to come out of the shadows of the party leader as she (who is also Anwar’s wife) is only a puppet and is warming the (parliamentary seat) for Anwar?

"Is it PKR deputy president (Dr Syed Hussin Ali) who will be elevated to senator and chosen to be prime minister? But DAP may get angry.

"Or will it be Gombak MP (Mohd Azmin Ali), who from then till now is seen as so fiercely loyal to his idol leader as to say ‘OK, OK, boss!’ to everything he (Anwar) says? Who copies Anwar’s style even to the extent of his style of dressing and the intonations of his speeches?

"Will it be Gopeng (MP Lee Boon Chye) or Subang (MP R Sivarasa)?" asked Abdul Rahman, who posed the same question about PKR vice-president Dr Jeffrey Kitingan as well as DAP leaders Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh.

Citing an aritcle in Malaysiakini, which Abdul Rahman described as an ‘opposition media’, he said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang was also rejected as a candidate to be prime minister due to his image - including his turban and robe - that non-Muslims are uncomfortable with.

"So who will be prime minister after Anwar? I have been looking for the answer, but until now only one friend has given me a clue - that Anwar is actually building his own nepotistic empire by appointing the MP from Lembah Pantai (Anwar’s daughter Nurul Izzah) to be the seventh prime minister of Malaysia.

"Congratulations, ‘kerajaan anak-beranak' (government of family members)," said Abdul Rahman.

Socio-economic disparities

Meanwhile, Nurul Izzah talked of the need to close the worsening socio-economic disparities between and within the communities.

nurul izzah 050407 talkingShe also talked of the importance of improving the institutions of higher education and skills training, employment opportunities and adequate housing. "What the youth hunger for is freedom and comfortable living."

At this point Anifah Aman (BN-Kimanis) interjected by remarking that while he and his contemporaries walked to school, Nurul Izzah had gone to school in a Mercedes Benz.

Gobind Singh (DAP-Puchong) in his debate brought up an incident wherein he was told by Deputy Housing and Local Government minister Hamzah Zainudin (BN-Larut) to leave a meeting he was having with Puchong residents.

After Hamzah defended his action and likened Gobind's presence at the meeting to a "trespasser" in a private home, the latter thundered back that he had every right to be in the meeting in view of his position as MP for Puchong.

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