PETALING JAYA, May 13 – Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said tonight Malaysia needed more than new slogans to solve the racial conflicts that continue to plague the country’s multiracial, multicultural society.
Anwar slammed the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government for hiding its failure to solve fundamental human rights behind new and ineffective slogans.
He said the solutions offered were ineffective as there was no change in the policies and programmes that properly address the problems of the poor and marginalised comunities.
“What is 1 Malaysia?” he asked pointedly, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s new but ambiguous campaign to bring the different races together.
Anwar was speaking at a public forum to commemorate the 40th anniversary of race riots that tore the country apart.
He mourned the lack of space for open discussions of fundamental issues even after 51 years of independence.
He observed that this was especially true of discussions that touch on the May 13, 1969 race riots.
“We do not have a lot of room in this country to debate this topic,” Anwar said, and added that any attempts to bring up the topic subjected its speakers to criminal charges such as sedition.
“But after 51 years, it’s impossible to give power to the rakyat if the rakyat cannot even debate fundamental issues,” the MP for Permatang Pauh told the thousand-strong crowd, highlighting the confusing state of affairs in Perak brought on by the dispute on who is the lawful mentri besar of the state.
“This is not a legal issue that we can hope to be resolved in a court of law. We demand fair and free elections in the state of Perak now.
“The solution is not in the palace, it’s not in the courts but in the court of the people to decide,” he said to thunderous applause.
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