Anwar challenges Najib to reform

The Malaysian Insider
by Shannon Teoh

KUALA SIN, April 3 – Just hours after Datuk Seri Najib Razak was sworn in as Malaysia's sixth Prime Minister, his nemesis Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim challenged him to prove himself as a reformist.

The opposition leader, who has positioned himself as Prime Minister-in-waiting, said that he was instead, worried that Malaysia would face a regime built on high-handed governance, the stoking of racial sentiments and the dilution of constitutional principles.

In the run-up to today's transition, Najib has been talking up reforms under his 1Malaysia platform and promised to work towards racial unity and embracing a new media landscape as well as restructuring elections within Umno.

But Anwar wants three specific changes.

"He must release Internal Security Act detainees, get rid of controls over the media and put a stop to corruption that has been on the rise," the PKR de facto leader said.

The Permatang Pauh MP was speaking to reporters are attending Friday prayers at a local mosque in Kuala Sin, an Umno stronghold in the northeast of the Bukit Selambau constituency.

He reiterated that the memo sent to the Agong by all 81 Pakatan Rakyat ,MPs, expressing concern over Najib's link to the murder of Mongolian beauty Altantuya Shariibuu and huge commissions paid out in the government purchase of submarines, reflected the collective stand of the federal opposition to the appointment of the new Umno president as prime minister.