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Saturday, 23 October 2010

Anwar: Glitter for PM, gutter for rakyat

By Hawkeye - Free Malaysia Today

GUA MUSANG: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to keep pressing Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to explain why he needed RM65 million to renovate his residence.

The people deserved a full clarification, he told about 20,000 people yesterday at a rally where Pakatan Rakyat announced its candidate for the Galas by-election.

The federal government has been ignoring the controversy surrounding the upgrading of the Prime Minister’s residence, one of the proposals of the 2011 Budget.

Opposition leaders have been comparing the cost of the proposed renovation to the RM17 million spent during the premiership of Najib Abdul Razak’s predecessor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Anwar described the proposal as a reflection of Umno’s arrogance.

“Huge sums are spent on palaces when the people are reeling from the high cost of living," he said.

Pakatan’s candidate for Galas is Dr Zulkefli Mohamed, a 44-year-old physician and surgeon. He is the son of Awang Mohamed, a former state assemblyman for Guchil.

Zulkefli contested against Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for the Gua Musang parliamentary seat in 2004 and 2008. He lost in both elections.

Support for gold dinar
Anwar also promised voters that Pakatan would lower fuel prices if it won federal power.

He said the cascading effect of the reduction would help push down the prices of consumer goods.

He also declared his support for Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s effort to popularise the use of the Kelantan gold dinar.

He urged all Muslim members of DAP, PKR and PAS to purchase the gold dinar coins for use as payment of the customary dowry in Malay Muslim marriages.

This would generate a market demand for the dinar and help boost the state's economy, he added.

He said the dinar could become as influential as Bank Islam in the economic life of Muslims in the country.

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