Malaysiakini: Anwar says it again and again

Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated his confidence that opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat will form the Sarawak government due to the disenchantment of the locals with the Barisan Nasional state administration.

With his trademark oratory skills, the opposition leader told an elated crowd of more than 5,000 at a 'Friends of PKR' dinner in Kuching this evening that opposition parties will work together to unseat BN and long serving chief minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud.

On the same note, the PKR de facto leader assured that a Pakatan Rakyat state government will work to safeguard and protect the people's land and rights.

According to him, if Pakatan Rakyat forms government, it will introduce the necessary legislation within six months to return to the people what rightly belongs to them such as land.

He said BN had claimed prior to the March 8, 2008 general election that the opposition will not be able understand the mechanics of running a government.

This has been proven to be incorrect following the opposition alliance gaining control of four states, apart from retaining Kelantan, he added.

"Yes, we do not understand the economics of stealing people's lands," he quipped.

Takes a swipe at Alfred Jabu

During his speech, the opposition leader also took a swipe at one of his chief critics in Sarawak, Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu.

Anwar, who received a standing ovation at the end of his 25-minute speech, said Jabu should find ways to help the Dayak community instead of wasting time criticising him.

Later, Anwar received 3,000 membership application forms from former PRS member of parliament for Sri Aman Jimmy Donald from 20 PRS divisions.

He also received a memorandum from representatives of 32 Bidayuh families (left) from the Bejoi and Pain Bojong villages in the Bengoh area which is affected by the construction of the RM320 million Bengoh Dam.

The villagers have refused to be resettled to a site proposed by the state government and urged Anwar to raise their plight in Parliament.

Also present at the dinner were Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, PKR secretary-general Sallehuddin Hashim and several PKR MPs and state representatives.

Anwar arrived in Kuching from Kuala Lumpur by AirAsia and contrary to earlier reports suggesting he might be banned from entering, he got through without any hindrance. Khalid arrived earlier in a MAS flight.

Following a late night meeting with state PKR leaders, Anwar and Khalid will leave for Kuala Lumpur tomorrow morning.

Land issue not 'hot' enough

Anwar and Khalid Ibrahim left by a MAS flight early this morning for Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, in his latest posting in The Broken Shield, well-known Dayak blogger Joseph Tawie said Anwar's message to the 5,000 people, the majority of them Dayaks (Bidayuh ,Orang Ulu and Iban) last night was loud and clear - if they wanted their NCR land back, then they must help Pakatan Rakyat topple the state BN government.

'With your support we can change this government,' he told them.' But we must start now and must work very hard.'

He assured that the problems involving NCR land could be solved within six months if Pakatan Rakyat, comprising PKR, DAP and PASs was to form the next state government.

'We will return the land to the people. This is my message to the people of Sarawak,' he said, adding ' Look at Selangor, it has changed tremendously after Pakatan Rakyat under Khalid Ibrahim as menteri besar’.

He explained that this was why Khalid was brought to Kuching so he could tell Sarawakians about Selangor.

Tawie said although land had become a major issue in every Sarawak election it was not ‘hot’ enough to win votes for opposition candidates who challenged BN candidates in the rural areas.

He said the reason was simple in that the people voted for BN candidates in exchange for ‘goodies’. They were blinded by ang pow of RM20 or RM30 in addition to minor rural development projects promised.

Tawie said it is important for PKR quality candidates with a strong conviction and cause to fight for Sarawak rather than ones only interested in serving their own personal agendas.

It was also equally important for the locals, especially Dayaks, to know what they really wanted in the coming election this being either a change of the present government or to remain being subordinated for the next five years.