ANWAR IBRAHIM DEFENDS CROSSOVERS

Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim has defended the morality of inviting Barisan Nasional representatives to form the next federal government.

At a press conference in Petaling Jaya today, the tone and atmosphere changed when questions were thrown at him about the morality and ethics of crossovers.

“The conduct of the recent elections was full of cheating, including the cancellation of the use of indelible ink,” said Anwar.

“What is immoral is cheating, buying of candidates or parliamentarians or false election promises. What has transpired in all our discussions is about our (Pakatan) agenda.

When pressed on the issue, the normally unflappable Anwar fired back, “I’m puzzled as to why you are all questioning the morality of crossovers now.

“What kind of morals is it when there are unsolved murders and or when there are no investigations when someone has stolen RM500 million? What kind of morals is it when there is fraud in the election process? Why don’t you ask those questions?

Those who understand the situation and realise that this (new government) could bring goodness, give their support. They are not only talking about benefits to the Malays. What kind of morals do we talk about when Hindu temples are destroyed without reason?”

He said that morals and ethics must be consistent and should not be limited to certain races.

“It is also no longer morally defensible for a MP to feel comfortable in defending his position when corruption is endemic, abuse of power is being condoned, when the judiciary is not independent, when crime is increasing and the media is not free.

“Why has there been no discussion on morality before? Over the last 50 years, you (were able to) find MPs crossing over to BN (as) morally defensible and now (there is) a question mark (about this)?”

The issue, he said, is not about crossing over but about the basis for such a major change being made.

During the 40-minute session, the former deputy prime minister offered no new information pertaining to the crossovers.

There were no revelations on who would cross the floor to Pakatan. No date was put forward other than that (Sept 16) being bandied about, after a journalist had suggested it during his recent tour of Sabah.

There was no hint either of whether he would announce the newcomers to his Pakatan coalition.

“The timing (in forming a new government) is when BN and Umno are more at ease. Now, they are quite panicky and inciting racial sentiments and the issue of Malay survival. Rather than continue that debate, which I consider as obsolete, we will consider our options.”

The only substantive factor was the presence of Jeffrey Kitingan - Sabah deputy chief minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan’s brother - at the press conference, alongside PKR officials Syed Husin Ali, Mustafa Kamil Ayub and Shamsul Iskandar.

Lingam tape report

At the start of the press conference, Anwar delivered a brief statement, saying he welcomed the submission of the report of the Royal Commission on the Lingam video clip to the King yesterday.

“We call for its full ventilation to the Malaysian pubic. If Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is serious about judicial reform, than he should take this report to its logical culmination which is the investigation and prosecution of those who the report deems to have deviated the course of justice.

“These issues are of deep concern to the Malaysian people and should not be taken lightly by the present administration. A half-hearted attempt at restoration would be as unsatisfactory as no restoration at all.”

He also responded Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s accusation he had used the tape to blackmail VK Lingam, who is the former premier’s lawyer.

“That his (Dr Mahathir) personal view and I don’t need to respond to that. The facts speak for themself. The video clip was (recorded) in 2001.

“I can understand and forgive Mahathir for forgetting the fact that in 2001 I was in Sungai Buloh jail (serving sentence after being convicted of corrupt practice.”

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