Anwar addressing the people yesterday with his trademark wit and charm
The battle for Hulu Selangor began last night with PKR sending its top leaders to promise equality and justice in a bid to keep a federal seat crucial to its dwindling numbers in Parliament.
PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made clear the party’s agenda in his speech — to retain Hulu Selangor and remind people why they had voted for the late Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad in the first place.
The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MP death Thursday night has paved the way for the country’s 10th by-election since Election 2008.
“I’ve known the late Dr Zainal since his Universiti Malaya days... He was always fighting for the right cause, he knew what to fight for and never once wavered in his stand. Even when I was in prison he frequently enquired about my health, and on the principles of justice he joined PKR later on,” he told the 6,000-odd crowd in a “Save Malaysia” ceramah.
The crowd in stitches as they listen to Anway yesterday
“I have to apologise because the duration that Zainal was MP, he was in and out of hospital. That is why he could not attend Parliament,” said Anwar, referring to the 71-year-old politician who suffered from brain cancer.
He blamed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration for practicing two double standards in his 1 Malaysia sloganeering.
“This country has 2 Malaysia, on for the rich and one for the poor. Look at the Indians, look at how you have all been treated badly, see what happened to Kugan.”
“If we (PR) take over Putrajaya, there will equal opportunity for Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, Melanau and Murut!” he exclaimed.
PR has now won seven out of the nine by-elections since Election 2008 but desperately needs to win Hulu Selangor after losing four lawmakers who now sit as independents since February.
Apart from Anwar, other party leaders there were deputy president Senator Dr. Syed Husin Ali, vice-president Azmin Ali and Sivarasa Rasiah, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and PKR strategic director Chua Tian Chang.
Anwar also introduced on stage two ex-Hindraf leaders, Vasantha Kumar and Ganapathy Rao who have since then joined PKR and DAP respectively, to attract the crowd in a seat with significant Indian minority.
Besides Anwar, other PKR leaders that briefly spoke were Azmin and Khalid.
The Selangor Mentri Besar reminded the crowd the reason they voted for PR in the first place.
“On March 8, 2008 you people gave PR a chance to rule Selangor and changed history. We are bringing lots of change and development, as promised to you all,’ said Khalid.
PRK vice-president Azmin Ali giving his take of the state of Hulu Selangor and its by-election.
He proceeded to explain the measures taken by the Selangor state to boost the welfare of people who live in the state.
“Has Umno, after running for 50 plus years, provided free water for the rakyat?have they?No. Umno has no stomach for this, it is something that PR has set out to accomplish,” he said, referring to how Selangor supplied water for free to all constituencies in the state.
Despite the fiery speeches by PKR leaders, the huge crowd remained nonchalant do say the least.
Questions on whether PKR plans to field an Indian candidate for the Hulu Selangor constituency arose, which saw reporters asking the PKR strategist Chua for information.
Chua, popularly known as Tian Chua, played down the issue and insisted that PKR would be dragged into playing the “quota ratio”.
“We have no luxury to do this quota game. In PKR, we are concerned about quality, not whether the person is Indian or Malay,” said Chua.
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talk about cow incident, indians are beggers and chinese mothers are prostitutes as claimed by umno, church burning, freedom of choice by parents for their children's education, umno non-actions against perkasa's propaganda and utusan, perak undemocratic power grab, umno intention to raise electricity, fuel and gst if let them win, control of media, judges , polis and election via the worst ag ever have.....this should be some good campaign points for those who didn't know.
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