response to Zaid Ibrahim’s statement “Empowering Keadilan” on Anwar

In response to Zaid Ibrahim’s statement “Empowering Keadilan” on Anwar
Ibrahim’s trial

20 October 2010



I view with incredulity Zaid Ibrahim’s latest unkind salvo against
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which I sometimes think he forgets is the
party he currently belongs to and is in running for Deputy President.
It is very irresponsible  for him to suggest that
PKR seems to be a one issue party – keen only to champion Anwar
Ibrahim and his ongoing trial.



This myth he knows is not true and is something that we normally only
hear from UMNO-BN politicians. Over the last decade or so, PKR has
grown tremendously and has played a major part in forging the Pakatan
Rakyat alliance while espousing its true multi-racial brand of
progressive politics, leading to the Pakatan Rakyat’s Common Policy
Platform which we believe will pose a strong challenge to the BN in
the next general election.



I am further shocked that Zaid has suggested that by defending Anwar,
the party is unable to defend the rakyat. Again, very UMNO-BN-like
criticism as he knows very well that the party has a good track record
in defending the rakyat on various issues concerning civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights.



I am sure Zaid is well aware that securing justice for Anwar does not
merely mean providing the best legal defence but involves a campaign
outside court to expose the Government’s manipulation of key
institutions to persecute political opponents. Again, this statement
that Anwar has received the best legal defence and therefore there is
nothing else to do – certainly seemed very UMNO-BN-like, and certainly
appalling coming from a PKR leader.



The implication of Anwar’s trial if he does not know is that Anwar’s
current and previous trials represent all that is wrong with UMNO-BN’s
brand of sham democracy – one that enables the government of the day
to make use of all the state machinery including the judiciary,
police, AG’s Chambers and even hospitals to manufacture false evidence
and implicate political opponents.



In case Zaid has forgotten, Anwar has spent six years’ imprisonment on
trumped up charges, and is once again facing the same fate. Surely it
would be extremely unkind and ungrateful of PKR to suddenly abandon
Anwar just when the party is becoming a major political force in the
country.



I am certainly at a loss to understand Zaid’s campaign strategy as he
seems bent on publicly and continuously criticising the party and its
leadership (which I must remind he is also part of) instead of
strengthening the party, and championing the party’s policies,
processes and issues including that of UMNO-BN’s persecution of Anwar.

Released by:

R Sivarasa
Member of Parliament, Subang
Vice President, Parti KeADILan Rakyat