PR struggle is about changing unfair policies – Anwar

KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders in Sabah who want to be among candidates from any party in the coalition were reminded that their priority is to serve the people.

“In PR, it is not about the changing of leaders. It is not even about Anwar Ibrahim, but we want to change the policies that have been not fair to the people,” said its de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“Whoever wants to be a candidate in Pakatan Rakyat, it is totally not about yourself,” he said in a speech at Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Kampung Petagas Lama on Saturday.
“It is about your struggle to change the policies in the country, giving the best for the needy. If you want to be there to confiscate the people’s property, you are about to be sacked,” he said to applause from the 500-odd members and guests.

Though disrupted by the sound of firecrackers from a nearby house, Anwar continued to speak.
The event, which was organised by PKR Putatan, Beaufort and Papar divisions, was also attended by Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khaled Ibrahim.

A similar celebration was later organised in Tuaran by PKR Kota Belud, Sepanggar and Tuaran divisions.

Anwar said even though PR has ruled Selangor for only three years, the people have already enjoyed a lot of benefits, such as free 20 cubic metres of water, monthly allowance for newborn baby, special allocation for the death, solution to Orang Asli land problem and many else.

He said the policy changing that PKR made in Selangor is one of the examples of how the PR treats the people irrespective of race or even religion.

Anwar claimed there are a lot of restrictions in Pakatan’s campaign and ceramah because they do not have full access to the media.

“There is not even a minute slot for the opposition in this country to explain about their struggle. Our words have been twisted by some of them using their print and electronic media,” he said.

“I am urging the younger generation, since the Internet is everywhere in Sabah, to guide your parents to go to the opposition official website to see a fair explanation about any issues that have been brought up.

We must know what both sides have said and it would be up to you to see who is deliberately fooling the people,” Anwar said.

Anwar stressed that there is a need to change the government because most of the important existing policies are only benefiting certain party, not the people in general.

Even though Sabah has the history of changing the government a few times, there is no change in the policies to benefit the people, especially regarding native land, he said.
Posted on September 5, 2011, Monday (The Borneo Post)