Anwar takes some of the blame for defections in PKR after 2008 polls
(The Star) – Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has accepted some of the blame for the defections that have plagued the party after the 2008 election.
“I admit that I am partly to be blamed because I endorsed their candidacies,” he said.
“But, at that time we lacked candidates and some even declined to become one.
“Those who aspire to be our candidates, but have only the intention of becoming rich can forget about receiving the authorisation letters from the president,” he said at the closing of PKR’s Eighth National Congress here yesterday.
Anwar predicted that the coming general election would be a “defining battle” for the country’s political landscape.
“We are better organised now compared with the last time,” he said.
“Traitors have left and the cooperation with the DAP and PAS is improving, which is a good sign for us in our effort to capture Putrajaya.”
Anwar claimed that he had been handed a booklet purportedly issued by Umno, containing instruction to spread lies and slanders about him and the PKR.
He said this only confirmed his suspicions that Umno was fearful of him and was using everything it had to destroy the PKR.
Earlier, Johor PKR chief Datuk Chua Jui Meng claimed that floods in Johor were because of the state’s poor forest management, saying that only 15% of the forests were intact.
He praised Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim for increasing the state’s cash reserve to RM1.2bil after the last general election against the RM400mil recorded during his predecessor Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo‘s tenure.
Meanwhile, Khalid pointed out that the rakyat could judge on the government they wanted. They could decide whether to trust the government or not by looking at its delivery and performance.
According to Khalid, about 70% of Malaysians earned less than RM4,000 a month while 15% earned more than RM30,000 a month.
He said the country would be peaceful if the wide income gap was reduced.
Khalid, who described this as a major issue, said it was caused by poor management, corruption and abuse of funds.
