State polls: If I betray the people, reject me, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: Voters in the six state elections should reject politicians who are cruel to the people, such as being involved in corruption, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Pakatan Harapan chairman said he had never taken any government contracts nor provided special allowances to his wife or children during his service as the country’s premier.

“If I betray the people, reject me. If I do not take care of the Malays, reject me. If I take the people’s money, take the people’s land, then reject me.

“If I do all that then I do not deserve to become a leader. While the government should be rejected if they are cruel to the people, give the leaders an opportunity to continue to govern if they continue to help take care of Malaysians well-being,” he said when delivering his speech at the ‘Kita Hulu Kelang with PMX’ programme at Padang Rumah Pangsa PKNS AU2, Taman Keramat on Friday (July 21).

Anwar said the opposition leaders including politicians who claimed to represent an Islamic-based party have begun to campaign for the upcoming state polls without good manners and moral values using him as the object of ridicule.

He said the negative behaviours from the politicians will be evaluated by the people during the state polls on Aug 12.

“Whatever insults thrown by the opposition, the unity government will not be impacted to continue its efforts to help the people and develop the country.

“The state election is not the time to throw insults but a field for politicians to explain about economic planning and matters related to the interests and well-being of the people.

“What we see in the run-up to the state polls from the other side are heated discussions full of insults towards me as the Prime Minister,” he said.

Anwar added that while he has accepted to be the campaign target by the opposition, he said that PAS was different under the leadership of the late Tan Sri Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and late Datuk Fadzil Noor as he did not receive any insults hurled at him from the leaders.

Anwar, who is Tambun Member of Parliament, also expressed hope for the voters in the upcoming state polls to vote for candidates from the Pakatan and Barisan Nasional unity government to reject damaging politics that are being played by the opposition.

“With the support of the voters in Hulu Kelang and Selangor, a clear message must be sent to the opposition that such politics can no longer be tolerated,” he said.

Also present were Selangor caretaker Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Selangor Umno chairman Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin.

Meanwhile, Megat Zulkarnain said that Umno had to forgo its incumbent Hulu Bernam seat to streamline and coordinate the unity government seats in the Selangor polls.

“I understand the party members want to defend the Hulu Bernam seat but we must show that we are prepared for a little adjustment to meet with the needs of the current political situation.

“It is not because the seat has no potential to win since Barisan has never lost in the state assembly but we negotiated and we will contest in Batang Kali while Pakatan will take on the Hulu Bernam seat,” he said.

Megat Zulkarnain who is the Gombak Setia candidate is among Barisan’s 12 candidates that will contest in Selangor.