Anwar: Mahathir is right, Umno-BN is the devil

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he has disagreed with former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad on many things, but not with the latter's remark that Umno-BN is the devil.

"I didn't agree on many things with the former prime minister. (For example) I do not agree with the fact that his son has a beer company.

"But I agree with his latest statement indicating that Umno-BN is the devil, while Pakatan Rakyat is the angel.

"We cannot support the devil (Umno-BN) either we know or don't, but we will be safe with Pakatan Rakyat (angel)," Anwar said, addressing a 1,000-strong crowd at the ‘Jelajah Merdeka Rakyat' ceramah road tour in Rantau, Negeri Sembilan last night.

He was responding to Mahathir's recent statement that it's better support the devil you know rather than the angel you don't know. 

"I know there are people who are in much more difficulties than me. I have been cursed (maki) day and night. 

"When I travel my safety has to be taken care. When I walk, I need bodyguards because there are many bad guys.

"I can't get angry over this since Mahathir has already admitted there are devils," said Anwar and the mixed-race crowd burst out laughing.

After effects of divorce

Anwar also asked his audience whether the mainstream media likeUtusan Malaysia, The Star, New Straits Times, RTM and TV3 had ever raised the issue of the family of former prime minister owning beer company San Miguel.

Earlier in the evening at a walkabout in Ampangan, Seremban, Anwar branded Utusan and TV3 as "gila talak" (suffering from withdrawal symptoms of divorce) since his departure from Umno.

"Every day and night, they attack and slander me. Non-stop slander - RM3 billion (of slush funds), girls and other sort of nonsense. 

"I also was attacked by Umno leaders through these media - that the country will go bankrupt if the oil price is reduced and PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund) abolished.

"Tell me which in country in the world went bankrupt after helping the people. Yes, a country can go bankrupt, but that is due to excessive corruption," said Anwar.

He added that his programme in Negeri Sembilan went smoothly without any disruption or violence like what he had experienced in both Kelantan and Kedah.

"Not like in Kelantan, where my bus was hit by stone and paint. Now, whenever I go, people want to see my bus and not me anymore," Anwar quipped with a broad smile.

However, the bus again was hit by red paint when it reached neigbouring Malacca this afternoon.

Thinking out of box

At the Rantau ceramah, PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail announced that the Negeri Sembilan leg of ‘Jelajah Merdeka Rakyat' was the first stop where the party had tested its makeshift trailerstage.

"This is another improvement by PKR after we launched the campaign by using the bus earlier last month.

"We are trying innovative ways to send the message to the people, and not be like Umno-BN which is still stagnant in its old school mentality of the past 55 years.

"When Nilai 3 was launched by the Umno-BN government, expectations ran high.

"The project earmarked as an ambitious project for developing Negeri Sembilan.

"But what happened to Nilai 3 now? People only go there to buy things if there is wedding coming up. To buy ‘hantaran' and ‘door gifts'," said Wan Azizah.

Meanwhile, state PKR chief Kamarul Baharin Abbas said Umno-BN government had purposely been creating a non-issue in Selangor by harping on the so-called water crisis in that state.

"What about the dirty and stinky pipe water supplied to residents in Chuah, Bukit Pelanduk and Lukut? The problem was only solved after the residents protested and highlighted the issue in the media."