Without lifting his gaze, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi declared that he would not sit back and watch the Barisan Nasional (BN) lose its grip on the reins of leadership.
The message was intended for the man seated directly opposite him in the Dewan Rakyat, newly minted opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim who returned to Parliament yesterday after a 10-year absence.
Abdullah, who is under mounting pressure since BN suffered a major setback in the March 8 polls, vowed to stop the opposition’s plan to seize control of the federal government by enticing crossovers from the ruling coalition.
BN MPs thumbed their tables vigorously in approval when the premier issued his strongest response to date on Anwar's repeated claim that his opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat would take over on Sept 16.
"Efforts by certain parties to destabilise the country by attempting to seize power through illegitimate means, and without the mandate of the people, must be rejected," said Abdullah towards the end of his Budget 2009 speech.
"We cannot allow uncertainties to continue as this will adversely affect foreign investment, economic sentiment and the capital markets.
"I will not allow these disturbances to continue," he stressed.
"I will not permit the mandate given by the people to be seized from BN which won the last election with a majority of the seats based on democratic principles."
Anwar was sworn in as MP yesterday after winning Tuesday’s Permatang Pauh by-election with a thumping majority of more than 15,000 votes to defeat his nearest rival, BN candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah.
The former deputy premier, who was sacked from the government in 1998, took up the position of opposition leader, previously held by his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Since the March 8 polls, which saw BN being denied a two-third majority for the first time, in history, the opposition leader has set his eyes on the premiership.
On numerous occasions, Anwar has claimed that he will get the required 30 MPs from the ruling coalition to jump ship to give the Pakatan Rakyat comprising PKR, PAS and DAP, a two-seat advantage and the right to form government.
Populist claims
Earlier, Abdullah said that Budget 2009 was proof that his government was responsive to the concerns of the people and had taken measures to lighten their burden, especially those from the lower income group.
"The opposition on the other hand, continues to make populist claims, which, if implemented, would undermine the government’s financial position and bequeath a bankrupt nation to the next generation," he said.
The premier also made another reference to Anwar and his cohorts when he said the nation’s well-being and economic progress cannot be guaranteed with mere political rhetoric.
"Instead, the political culture of extremism will destroy the very fabric of the nation’s coherence and prosperity," he added.
news courtesy of Malaysiakini
1 comment:
Anonymous said…
Candles now and but justice for all ISA detainees come the new Malaysia soon.
Where is the justice & freedom of expression because all our MSM News are suppressed or spun, where have the Truth and Merdeka gone to, perhaps the Dogs under BN Government ok??? Malaysia is going backwards after 51 years instead of going forward under the Racist UMNO, calling the “Chinese Squatters” to leave and “Babi Cabinet” if Anwar wins Permantang Pauh and if he forms the Pakatan Rakyats’ Federal Government. Justice must be served for Altantuya and all the ISA detainees who have no avenue of appeals and fair trials.
The UMNO Government is afraid that more cans of worms will be spilled by RPK and therefore they banned his blogsite which is a futile attempt to block information in this IT age, of course this is because of this Present Moronic Government is corrupted and dirty therefore on the pretext of helping the Rakyats, they could swindle and plunder more money from the Budget Deficit and with most of the Deficit Money coming from Petronas. Beware that the Money allocated is for their BN own Prime Minister’s and Cronies’ pockets expenditure and not for helping the Rakyats. Look for example at the Crystal Mosque’s and Mariner Club’s Fiasco in Terengganu’s Billions in Wang Ehsan, Billions had been lost as white elephants. The cancellation of the Johore Scenic Bridge, Penang Second Bridge and LRT Projects at the whims and fancies of the Flip Flop, Incompetent and Sleeping PeeM at the last minutes is wasting Multi Millions Ringgits in Public Funds had shown proof of the PeeM’s mismanagement of the Government and wastage of the Public Financial Resources and all these wasted funds could not be salvaged to aid and assist the Malaysian Poor Citizens of all races. If Malaysia still keep him in power will further damage and erode the Wealth of our Nation and our National Wealth could be decimated in no time.
The same could happen to all the empty promises of aid and help to the Rakyats these could all be lip service only unless it is monitored by reputable NGOs. On the irreversible Food Prices inflation, the unnecessary Moronic previous price hike on Petrol & Diesel had caused great permanent damage to the Food Price Structure and even if the price cut to Petrol and Diesel revert to their original prices prior to their hike, it will not revert the Food prices back to their original state and only the PeeM is to be solely blamed for his unwarranted Fuel Price Hike. His 2009 budget did not help the Rakyats’ quelled their immediate hardship suffered nor did that help them solve their Transport Problems immediately with multiple schemes but none available immediately with all the empty rhoterics but nothing concrete that could solve their immediate problems after years of neglect from this incompetent sleeping PeeM. As it is he is still sleeping and not knowing what all the 27 Million Rakyats wanted, needed and aspired to have coming soon??? Come Sept 16, 2008 send him home to sleep forever he is no longer needed.
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