Muhiddin Yussin (fifth left) handing over the membership registration form to Anwar, as other opposition leaders look on.
KOTA KINABALU: De facto opposition leader Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday denied a series of accusations linking him to the Lahad Datu intrusion incident, including the song that has now gone viral, ‘Tanya Sama Najib’ (Ask Najib).
The song, which is a modification of the Malay classic song, ‘Tanya Sama Pokok’, had been linked to Anwar, accusing him of foreseeing the intrusion due to the lyrics; ‘Tanya sama Najib, apa sebab goyang, nanti jawab Najib, Sabah nak hilang (Ask Najib, why so shaky and Najib will answer that Sabah will be lost).
Anwar, speaking at the Himpunan Harapan Rakyat (People’s Hope Assembly) organised by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), countered the accusation by explaining that the contents of the modified lyrics was meant to refer to ‘Sabah hilang’ as the people’s awakening and rising to finally reject Barisan Nasional, which will cost the ruling coalition a huge loss.
He ridiculed Barisan Nasional’s medium for using the song as so-called evidence to link him to the intrusion, saying “Throughout the history of the world, this would be the first anyone can ever be sued for singing a song.”
Other than the song, Anwar was also reported by the mainstream media to be connected to the intrusion incident based on a picture of him taken with the founder of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Nur Misuari.
Anwar defended the picture by admitting his old acquaintanceship with Misuari upon helping to find a peaceful agreement between MNLF and the Philippines government, but that the picture was taken back when Tun Mahathir Mohammad was still the Prime Minister of Malaysia and had invited Misuari on an official visit to Kuala Lumpur.
Supporters and members of the public at the scene heckling the men who were taken away in a police truck after creating havoc at the convention location.
The opposition leader also expressed his disappointment over the ruling Barisan Nasional government’s rejection to convene a special parliamentary sitting as proposed by the opposition coalition to discuss the Lahad Datu intrusion incident.
He said the intrusion incident is a national security issue and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should have engaged all parties in finding the best solution.
“This is about national sovereignty, national security, national safety. Your duty as a leader is to get everyone on board to defend this country!” said Anwar, who was applauded by the more than 3,000 people who attended the assembly.
He criticised the ruling coalition’s way of handling the intrusion not only by rejecting the opposition’s proposal to resolve the issue together, but by twisting it instead into a political agenda and blaming opposition leaders, including the highly broadcasted subject on Batu member of parliament Tian Chua.
“This is not a matter of who is at fault anymore. That is why we have asked that the ruling government to put our differences aside and come to a consensus and convene a special parliamentary sitting.
“Any leaders of a country that comes under attack would come together and take one common stand. But our ruling coalition refused and turned the whole thing into political games instead,” said Anwar, adding that such rejection could be the ruling coalition’s insecurity and lack of confidence in winning the upcoming general election.
He said despite fully supporting the national security forces and sympathizing the fate of the fallen heroes, the government’s initial decisions had led the masses to ask many questions, including what were the results of the three-week negotiations, and how did the frontline fail to foresee the attack despite the intruders’ obvious weapons.
Anwar slammed the ruling coalition’s attempt to misrepresent the opposition by saying that Pakatan Rakyat had done nothing to help in the Lahad Datu intrusion incident.
He disclosed that the Penang and Selangor state governments had established a fund and donated RM50,000 for each of the fallen heroes’ families.
He also reiterated to the attendees that the Pakatan Rakyat’s principle is zero tolerance towards crime, armed intrusion and terrorists.
Meanwhile, former state education director Datuk Dr Muhiddin Yussin, who had just recently stepped down from his post, joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat, along with 318 others, whose membership forms were officially handed over to Anwar yesterday.
Two members of the public also donated a 41-seater bus and three 13-seater mini vans respectively to PKR.
In the meantime, some 10 people were seen taken away in a police truck after they were detained by police for causing havoc at the convention location.
The men wearing black t-shirts arrived in motorcycles and caused mayhem by throwing stones and paint-filled balls towards the PKR bus and supporters, and later toppled a few other stationary motorcycles parked at the scene.
The police, however, refused to comment or give further information on the incident.