Anwar says those who use ISA not fit to rule

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today he believes that Malays or Muslims who use cruel laws against Hindus are not qualified to rule the country.

He also accused the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia newspaper of twisting facts to spark off hatred of the Malays for Hindus.

The issue at hand, he said, was the use of the Internal Security Act, which Anwar described as a cruel law.

“We as Malays, as Muslims, if we show cruelty to Malays or to Hindus, such a Malay is not qualified to rule the country,”he told reporters today.

He added: “You can take that down, Utusan Malaysia.”

Anwar was on his way out of the KL court complex when he was asked to comment on the move by representatives of the Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf) in presenting a memorandum calling for the release of those detained under the ISA to the Prime Minister at his Hari Raya open house last week.

“The issue is not any protest by Hindraf. The issue is the cruel ISA. It is a gross injustice.

“Those detained under this cruel law must be released. I stand on that principle,” said Anwar.

He called for the immediate and unconditional release of the Hindraf five and Malaysia-Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin.

Asked what he thought of the speculation that Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would not defend his Umno presidency, he said he did not believe a government or an Umno led by Datuk Seri Najib Razak would be any better.

He said he did not believe that BN would be able to garner more support or credibility under Najib.

“We are talking about a system tainted by corruption. It is important that we continue to call for reform and change,” he said.

He pointed out that regardless of Abdullah’s decision tomorrow, it would not impact Pakatan Rakyat’s plans and that the triparte opposition leaders were having another discussion on the matter later today.

Asked for an update on the Barisan Nasional lawmakers whom he had allegedly convinced to cross over, he said: “It is a non-issue. They have given me their support and have not reneged on the agreement.”

source: The Malaysian Insider