Malaysiakini | October 22, 2008
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today hit out at his detractors, especially those who questioned his track record as finance minister, saying he was responsible for having passed one of the largest allocations ever recorded for Sabah, during his tenure.
During the debate which followed Johari Abdul’s (PKR-Sungai Petani) speech, in which Johari had slammed the government for failing to help bumiputeras, Abdul Rahman Dahlan (BN-Kota Belud) intervened to ask about Anwar’s role during his time in government.
“What did the opposition leader do (for bumiputeras) during his eight years as finance minister?” asked Abdul Rahman.
Unfazed by Johari’s assertions – that he (Johari) and Anwar, among others, had struggled against corruption and nepotism until the latter’s sacking from Umno in 1998 and were punished for it – Abdul Rahman repeated his challenge, saying “Can you just answer the question?”
At this point, Anwar stood up and took leave from Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia to answer Abdul Rahman himself.
“I just want to clarify as there are some among my Umno colleagues who have asked about my tasks and role while in Umno and in government, and suggestions have been raised that we had purportedly abandoned the problems of Sabah’s people,” said Anwar.
He did not mention Salleh Kalbi (BN-Silam) by name, but it was Salleh who yesterday compared Anwar to a ‘second-hand car’ trying to shed a mangled past and refurbish himself as the new champion of all Malaysians.
Recalling Anwar’s statements while in government more than 10 years ago, Salleh said the former deputy prime minister was in Parliament for the second time in his life and trying to ‘deceive’ the people in Sabah and Sarawak into seeing him as their saviour.
Anwar, however, said his track record spoke volumes of his contributions, especially to Sabah. Among these, he claimed, was the largest allocation up to then granted to the eastern state as part of the federal government’s budget.
“For as long as I was a minister in the government… until 1998, I as finance minister had passed the largest allocation to Sabah and Sarawak including, within a period of one year, an additional RM800 million … for Sabah and RM200 million for the supplementary budget, a record at that time.
“But because of prejudice (against me), all this is denied. Speaker, on the issue of bumiputeras, we placed a network for bumputeras who are capable of advancing to be uplifted,” he said.
‘Speak as noble warriors’
As Barisan backbenchers shouted hoots of derision at him, Anwar took the opportunity to deal them a stinging criticism of their behaviour, which effected an unusual silence among the ruling Barisan MPs.
He also played on Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia’s name to compare how real ‘warriors’ conducted themselves in contrast to the behaviour of Barisan parliamentarians.
“They can scream while hiding behind the microphones, but that is not the way of warriors.
“If they really are pandikar (fighters) and pahlawan (warriors), they would stand and speak and answer. They would not scream under the tables as what is happening now,” he said.
“If only they stood as warriors who are mulia (noble) and amin (trustworthy),” he added.
“If we differ in views, that does not matter. But it must be based on facts, not by heaping insults and slander. Stand, if you do not agree with Sungai Petani, and argue based on facts,” Anwar said.
