Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim turned his guns on Umno's top leaders at a rally in Seremban, Negri Sembilan, last night and highlighted their weak points.
"Umno members and bottom level Umno leaders are not my enemies, only the top Umno leaders who are attacking me non-stop from every corner with all sorts of slanders and lies.
"These are the leaders who rob the people's money, are involved in bribery, commissions and cows. Umno's only weapon is playing the race card and disuniting the various races.
"The poverty and marginalisation of Malays are due to Umno. Who is the responsible for the failures?
"The prime minister, deputy prime minister, finance minister and agriculture minister, all of them are Malays from Umno," Anwar charged at the 901 rally in Seremban, drawing roars from the 1,000-strong crowd.
He also drew on his personal experience as deputy prime minister to illustrate his point.
Anwar described the time he took his daughter, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah, to enrol her at the Universiti Teknologi Petronas in Tronoh, Perak.
At that time, one of the university officials told him that there was no need to pay any fees as Nurul Izzah was assured of full scholarship because of his position.
Saying one thing, doing another
"But I insisted on paying the fees from my own pocket as I could afford it.
"I can't be telling the people that the government must help poor and deserving children and at the same time abuse the privilege for my own benefit.
"Tell me, which Umno ministers and leaders pay for their children's studies from their own pockets? But, day and night, they are attacking me through television and newspapers.
"I didn't even take scholarships because I wanted to be with the rakyat.
"There are poor deserving Malays, Chinese and Indians who need scholarships," he said to yet another explosive round of applause from the crowd.
Anwar told his audience that Umno must be defeated in order to free Malaysians from all the irregularities taking place under the current Umno-BN government.
He suggested three outcomes from the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday.
"I should be released as I'm not guilty. This is the work of evil, the work of the bad. Based on the evidence submitted in court I should not be defending myself in court in the first place.
"The second scenario is that I may be found guilty and allowed to be free on bail until my case is heard at the Appeals Court. But this effectively will prohibit me from contesting in the coming general election.
"In the third scenario, I will be found guilty, bail will be denied and I will be put in jail.
"Whatever happens, Umno must be defeated. Party members, especially the young, please work hard to succeed in this aim," he said.
No disturbance at rally
At a ceramah in Malacca later, Anwar gave the people his assurance that the “Free Anwar 901” rally, scheduled to be held outside the court on the day of the verdict, would not cause any disturbance.
He also requested that the scheduled assembly not be tainted, like the previous ones, and for it to end on a good note.
“The important thing is not to allow anyone to create a disturbance, including the police controlling the crowd, and, do not resort to provocation."
In addition, Anwar said a nationwide prayer session would be held against false imputations and oppression, and for a fair verdict to be delivered.
“The solat hajat will be held continuously in 10 places, including Permatang Pauh ,to save us from false accusations and oppression,” he told the nearly 3,000-strong crowd, including PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub and malacca PAS commissioner Adly Zahari.
“I am confident that we will be victorious. If not tomorrow, then in a few months there will be major changes in our country.
“Let them punish me, and we pray that the rakyat will punish Umno in the coming general election.
“On Jan 9, we will hear the court’s verdict, but our focus is on the general election.
“Even if Anwar is jailed, the election comes first; even if convicted but freed on bail, the election comes first. The people will decide to topple this government in the end,” Anwarv added.
Additional reporting by Elissa Helmy in Malacca
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