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Tuesday, September 16, 2008

ANWAR CLAIMS MORE THAN 31 MPs WILL CROSS OVER

PETALING JAYA: Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has claimed that more than 31 Barisan MPs have agreed to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat.
He, however, refused to reveal the names of the 31 MPs.


Anwar told a press conference at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday that he would give the list of the names to the Prime Minister when he meets him.

The Permatang Pauh MP also claimed that the transition to the new Government has been delayed a few days pending the meeting with Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition.

“The numbers are increasing by the hour, but as of now, it is in excess of 31 MPs.
"This is not empty talk. I am fully responsible for my statement but we have choose to be patient and use the conciliatory way,” the PKR adviser said.

He called on Abdullah to meet with him, where he said he would even give the Prime Minister the names of Barisan MPs wanting to defect to the Pakatan Rakyat alliance of opposition parties.

“I am appealing (for this meeting) in the name of political stability and a smooth transition. It will be preposterous for the Prime Minister to deny me this meeting,” said Anwar, who was flanked by leaders from PKR, DAP, PAS and even non-member Parti Sosialis Malaysia.

Asked why he still refused to give the exact number of defecting MPs or their names, Anwar said there was a fear the MPs would be detained or harassed if their names were released.

Asked what he would do if Abdullah refused to see him, Anwar smiled and replied: “Why assume he will refuse to see me? I am his friend. I believe we will meet.”

He said Pakatan would give Abdullah some time to consider because the latter was having problems within his own party.

Pressed for a deadline for a meeting with Abdullah, Anwar said he did not like to give any ultimatum but it should be within the next few days or “other options would be considered.”

He said he would refer to his coalition partners in Pakatan to discuss the next course of action, but was committed to ensuring the takeover was constitutional.
Anwar was non-committal when asked if he would seek an audience with the Yang DiPertuan Agong to present himself as commanding a majority in Parliament, or if he would seek a motion of no-confidence against Abdullah at the next Parliament sitting in October.

He said these options would be discussed with other Pakatan leaders.
Anwar said that in a letter submitted to Abdullah on Monday, Pakatan had made four demands to ensure a smooth transition:
1) That Barisan does not hinder or prevent the MPs from acting in accordance with their conscience, constitutional rights and independentjudgement;
2) That the Barisan government should not invoke the Internal Security Act to detain the MPs or any other current Pakatan MPs;
3) That the Barisan government does not invoke emergency laws or police powers or suspend the Constitution or dissolve Parliament; and
4) That the Barisan government shall not impose roadblocks or impede MPs from going to Parliament or any institution of government.

FEDERAL COURT DECLARES WINNER OF SANGLANG SEAT

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court here Tuesday (16 Sept) ruled that the Sanglang state seat in Perlis won by Abdullah Hassan of the Barisan Nasional(BN), which has been vacant for three months, be given to PAS candidate Hashim Jasin.

In allowing Hashim's appeal, Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Alaudin Mohd Sheriff and the Federal Court judges Datuk Arifin Zakaria and Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin unanimously held Hashim to be duly elected as Sanglang state assemblyman.

On 18 June, the Kangar High Court declared the Sanglang state seat won by Abdullah in the March 8 general election vacant after quashing the petition by Hashim, the Perlis PAS commissioner, who sought a declaration that he was the victorious candidate for the seat.

Election judge Justice Datuk Zainal Adzam Abdul Ghani made the order after ruling that the court had no jurisdiction to declare Hashim as the assemblyman for the seat as Section 35(c) of the Election Offences Act 1954, which empowers the Election Court to make such declarations, was abolished in 2003.

He said the court left it to the Election Commission to decide whether a by-election should be held and when to hold it.

Hashim, who named Abdullah, returning officer for the Arau parliamentary seat Muhamad Daud Abdull Hamid and the Election Commission as the respondents, then appealed to the Federal Court.

Abdullah had won the seat with a 149-vote majority after polling 3,384 votes against Hashim's 3,235 votes int he general election. (Bernama)

KENYATAAN MEDIA PAKATAN RAKYAT 16 SEPTEMBER 2008

PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2008

Hari ini rakyat Malaysia menyambut Hari Malaysia- hari di mana negara kita menjadi satu dan rakyatnya bersatu. Hari ini mempunyai makna baru. Selepas bertahun berjuang, melawan sistem yang dilanda dan mengabaikan prinsip keadilan- kita sekarang berada diambang kemenangan. Hasrat kita untuk membina semula negara dan menyatu padukan rakyat Malaysia sebagaimana yang dicita-citakan oleh pejuang-pejuang kemerdekaan sudah semakin dekat.

Keadaan ekonomi yang merudum jatuh dengan kadar pengangguran dan inflasi yang tinggi telah menyebabkan rasa tidak puas hati rakyat yang meluap-luap. Hubungan antara kaum menjadi tegang, diburukkan lagi dengan propaganda oleh media yang dikawal oleh kerajaan. Pentadbiran sekarang gagal untuk menawarkan jawapan buat negara kita keluar dari kedudukan sukar ini.

Pakatan Rakyat yakin dapat menyelamatkan Malaysia dari masalah ekonomi dan politik berbaur perkauman. Kami akan melaksanakannya secara bertanggungajwab, menuruti prinsip undang-undang dan tidak akan sama sekali menjejaskan keselamatan dan kestabilan negara dan rakyat negara ini.

Pakatan Rakyat kini memiliki majoriti yang selesa untuk membentuk sebuah kerajaan baru yang stabil. Kerajaan baru yang mencerminkan masyarakat Malaysia yang majmuk.

Justeru itu kami ingin duduk semeja dengan Perdana Menteri Abdullah Badawi untuk melaksanakan peralihan kuasa secara bertanggungjawab, lancar dan aman. Hasrat ini telah kami sampaikan kepada Perdana Menteri melalui surat yang dikirimkan jam 2.30 petang semalam.

Dengan mandat ini kami bertekad untuk melaksanakan peralihan kuasa yang aman. Kami tidak ingin berulangnya peristiwa yang berlaku sewaktu mengambil alih kuasa di negeri Perak dan Selangor, di mana dokumen milik kerajaan negeri di lupuskan oleh pentadbiran terdahulu.

Kami mengingatkan kepada elemen radikal di dalam Barisan Nasional agar tidak menyalahgunakan kuasa serta menahan para penyokong Pakatan Rakyat. Penyiasatan yang dibuat secara tergesa-gesa oleh BPR terhadap Dato Seri Yong Teck Lee selepas mengumumkan akan membuat undi tidak percaya terhadap Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi merupakan di antara taktik yang kita tolak. Penggunaan ISA terhadap Ahli Parlimen Teresa Kok merupakan contoh untuk menghalang perubahan dengan tidak mengikut lunas-lunas perundangan.

Jesteru itu kami ingin duduk semeja dengan Perdana Menteri Abdullah Badawi untuk melaksanakan peralihan kuasa secara bertanggungjawab, lancar dan aman. Hasrat ini telah kami sampaikan kepada Perdana Menteri melalui surat yang dikirimkan jam 2.30 petang semalam dan kami menuntut beliau memberi perhatian terhadap beberapa perkara seperti berikut :
1) Agar Barisan Nasional tidak menghalang ahli parlimennya dari bertindak menurut suara hati mereka, hak yang dijamin undang-undang serta keputusan yang mereka buat tanpa paksaan.
2) BN tidak boleh menggunakan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri untuk menahan ahli parlimen yang berhasrat untuk menyertai Pakatan Rakyat atau ahli parlimen Pakatan Rakyat yang berjumlah 82 itu.
3) Kerajaan BN tidak seharusnya menggunakan kuasa darurat, kuasa polis, atau menggantung perlembagaan mahupun membubarkan parlimen di dalam usaha mereka untuk menghalang Pakatan Rakyat dari berkuasa.
4) Dan Kerajaan Barisan Nasional tidak membuat sekatan jalan raya dan menghalang ahli parlimen, dari memasuki parlimen dan juga institusi-institusi kerajaan lainnya.

Kami yakin Perdana Menteri berkongsi keperihatinan yang sama terutamanya berkenaan kebajikan rakyat dan keselamatan negara. Kami percaya beliau akan memastikan Barisan Nasional bertindak mengikut perlembagaan dan prinsip-prinsip demokratik demi memastikan peralihan kuasa yang aman, serta tiada tindakan sabotaj untuk menghalang hasrat rakyat ataupun menggunakan retorik berbaur perkauman.

Kami menyeru masyarakat di semua lapisan agar memahami hasrat kami semata-mata untuk kebaikan negara ini. Saya juga ingin mengingatkan media massa jangan lagi berada di dalam penafian dengan meneruskan propaganda bahawa kami berbohong. Kita sekarang berada dalam era baru maka saya menyeru media massa meninggalkan tabiat lama dan mengambil iltizam untuk meningkatkan professionalisme kewartawanan.

Selepas pertemuan dengan Perdana Menteri, kami berhasrat untuk meneruskan gerak kerja kami sebagaimana yang digariskan oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan di dalam kami membentuk kerajaan baru dengan perkenan Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.

ANWAR IBRAHIM
Ketua Pembangkang
Ketua Umum Parti Keadilan Rakyat.