May 01, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 — Umno’s increasingly ultra-Malay stance as well as the emergence of a sex video aimed at discrediting Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) image are definite signs that general elections will be called very soon, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The PKR de facto leader believes that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will call for general elections before August this year. The Barisan Nasional (BN) controls the Dewan Rakyat with a simple majority.
“I would say anywhere before puasa (fasting month), before August. If not, immediately after fasting month,” Anwar told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview recently.
Anwar said the timing of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) use of the mainstream media in highlighting a sex video allegedly featuring him was proof that national polls were not far off. ‘Look how they (BN) are managing the media, they look very desperate ...this is the final card.'
“Can you imagine any country using porn as campaign material especially in a relatively conservative Muslim state...I have never seen this while I was in Umno,” Anwar told The Malaysian Insider.
An unedited sex video allegedly featuring Anwar was uploaded earlier today on YouTube, adding pressure on the opposition leader who has so far denied he is the man in the recording.
The video recording was divided into four parts and lasts approximately four minutes and 28 seconds.
The full 21-minute recording was first aired to reporters at the prestigious Carcosa Seri Negara hotel last month by a man who identified himself as “Datuk T”
.
Shortly after the viewing, it was revealed that “Datuk T” was a moniker that collectively referred to businessman Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, former Malacca Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik and Perkasa treasurer-general Datuk Shuib Lazim.
During a March 24 press conference, Abdul Rahim said the video was exposed to show “a man who wants to be prime minister is not qualified.”
Besides that, Anwar also warned of Umno’s ultra-Malay stance as another sign that elections were, stressing that the Malay party was going through extreme lengths to get Malay votes.
“They have to resort to extreme racism...what else can they do?
“We don’t know what Najib believes in... Utusan speaks for 1 Melayu while NST for 1 Malaysia,” he said.
Most of the country’s mainstream media groups are controlled by Umno, MCA and MIC and they have begun running optimistic reports about the ruling federal coalition.
Umno owns and controls both the country’s largest media group, Media Prima Berhad (MPB) which owns English and Bahasa Malaysia newspapers, television and radio stations; and the Utusan Group, which publishes both Utusan Malaysia and the Kosmo tabloid. MCA now directly owns The Star and several radio stations and magazines while MIC owns the Tamil Nesan.
Utusan has urged the party to spearhead a “1 Melayu, 1 Bumi” movement to protect Malay unity.
Anwar: We don’t know what Najib believes in... Utusan speaks for 1 Melayu while NST for 1 Malaysia. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Malay rights group Perkasa said it will fly the banner for the movement and launch a 1 Bumiputera campaign this weekend.
Analysts have said the Umno paper’s increasingly strident, pro-Malay tone is a sign the ruling Barisan Nasional’s (BN) senior party has written off support from the Chinese community and is banking on Malay votes to win in the coming 13th general election.
When asked to comment on the relationship between him and Najib, Anwar claimed that Najib had “harboured enmity” against him once the murder scandal of Altantuya Shariibuu went public.
“He (Najib) harbours enmity because of the Altantuya case...He thought that I initiated (it), that which is not true.
“I only took it up when Altantuya’s father came to see me, he had pleaded me to help redeem the honour of Altantuya,” explained Anwar.
“I had reservations, this involved my friend the then deputy prime minister...I told the father- I think you must really be certain of what you want. He said he was certain, then I took it up,” he added.
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