Malays either spooked or lured by false promises, says Anwar

The opposition leader said Malay society is influenced by the Malay media to fear others. — Picture by Choo Choy May

PETALING JAYA, May 14 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has described the Malay community as victims of fear-mongering tactics by the Malay-language media as well as taken in by the so-called benefits for the Bumiputras. “Malay society is influenced by the Malay media to fear others.
“As if we’re poor because of the Chinese, our house is dirty because of the Chinese, the roads are not fixed, Chinese, no money, prices of goods going up, the Chinese and the Christians,” the PKR de facto leader said at the launch of the Urban Renewal Project in Taman Maju Jaya here.

Anwar arrives at Maju Jaya flats PJS 3 for the launch of the Maju Jaya Urban Renewal Project by the Selangor government today. — Picture by Choo Choy May

The latest controversy to rile the country’s dominant majority was the “Christian Malaysia” report first published by the Umno newspaper Utusan Malaysia last Saturday. The Umno daily carried a front-page article headlined “Kristian agama rasmi?” (Christianity the official religion?), claiming the DAP was conspiring with Christian leaders to take over Putrajaya and abolish Islam as the religion of the federation.
Utusan Malaysia’s report had been based entirely on unsubstantiated blog postings by two pro-Umno bloggers, alleging that the leaders had taken a pledge during the gathering promising to take over Putrajaya, abolish Islam as the religion of the federation and install a Christian prime minister.
The paper also published a grainy photograph showing what it described as a secret pact between the DAP and pastors at a hotel in Penang last Wednesday.
DAP and Christian leaders have since voiced their rage over the allegations and vehemently denied taking any part in such a pledge.
The Permatang Pauh MP also said that the government had been painting a rosy picture of the country’s economy, yet the people had not felt the economy boom.
“They say foreign investment keeps on coming, then there are the landmark buildings, the twin towers, but for the residents, for the workers, what does development mean to us at the bottom? What do we get?
“If the rakyat do not reap the benefits, no matter how many billions are being made, how many booming companies there may be, in 20 years, we will still remain the same,” he said.

Anwar, together with other PKR leaders, launches the Urban Renewal Project by painting a wall of the Maju Jaya flats. — Picture by Choo Choy May

The former deputy prime minister pointed out that only a minority of the Bumiputras had reaped the benefits of the specially allotted shares under the New Economic Policy (NEM). “I want to ask how much Bumiputera shares since the New Economic Policy (NEM) till now, RM5.4 billion for Bumiputras but which Bumiputras? Aren’t the Bumiputras in Maju Jaya Bumiputra as well?” he asked, claiming that the money had gone to crony companies and family members of political leaders.
Anwar’s PKR leads Pakatan Rakyat (PR) which denied Barisan Nasional (BN) its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority and cost it four states in Election 2008.
BN’s dominant partner Umno is now working to ensure it keeps the key Malay vote in the run-up to the next general election, using the media to show up weaknesses in PR.
The media and pro-Umno bloggers have also been playing up reports of a sex tape showing a man resembling Anwar. The latter will know on Monday if he has to defend himself against a second sodomy complaint.