Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim rejected the call by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to unite with the government in implementing the RM60 billion stimulus package announced yesterday.

anwar and najib and budget malaysia In his speech on the stimulus package, the Permatang Pauh MP questioned Najib’s sincerity when the latter offered cooperation with the opposition in order to face the global economic crisis.

He had also urged the opposition to set aside the political differences and focus on the economy.

Describing Najib as someone “offering an olive branch, but at the same time pointing a keris at the people”, Anwar said that there was no point “in cooperating with someone who is deaf”.

“Everyone is mesmerised with the amount of the package,” he said, but how can Najib convince the people when he is “polluted with so many controversies?”

“The person who offers this olive branch should be thrown at with a durian instead,” he said, drawing cheers from the opposition side.

This he said, is contrary to what late second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein - who was also Najib’s father - had done during his tenure when he offered unity with opposition party PAS back then.

"When he (Razak) offered unity government with PAS, he had stopped wild allegations in the media, offered negotiations, and he also offered the olive branch publicly and sincerely to the opposition.

“But when it comes to his son, he is blind to what is happening in the country,” Anwar said, further accusing Najib of being “in denial” when many foreign investors had stopped coming into Malaysia.

“Only yesterday and weeks before that, Najib seemed to be taken aback with the reality of this economic crisis,” he said.

Anwar had lunch with PM

In the same speech, Puad Zarkashi (BN-Batu Pahat) stood up and criticised Anwar for not being ready to sit down and talk with the government to solve the economic woes.

“The implementation of this package will not be achieved if we keep receiving this kind of attitude. YB Permatang Pauh should be prepared to unite with the government. Isn’t this a better way?” he asked.

anwar and pak lah hulu langat meeting 100309 04 Anwar, however, appeared adamant with his stance while referring to the lunch he had with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Hulu Langat yesterday.

“Yesterday, I had lunch with the PM and there was no personal enmity. We discussed and we talked politely.

“If there is sincerity in discussing with us, stop all the cruelty against us, only then can you offer us to unite...,” said Anwar.

He added that he could not accept it if “someone offers an olive branch, takes it back and then lies”.

“And then he would say: ‘It’s okay, let’s discuss about this’. I cannot be a friend with someone, then become an enemy, then be back to being friends,” said Anwar.

Yes, they boycotted Najib’s speech

On the same note, Anwar also revealed to the House that many opposition parliamentarians yesterday chose to boycott the speech when the matter was raised by Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian).

malaysia parliament parlimen “We should be ready to set aside political differences. Unlike yesterday, many PKR and PAS MPs were not in the House to listen to (Najib’s) speech.

"If that is coincidence, how come there were only two PAS MPs left in the House?” he asked.

Anwar said that the government should not make an issue out of it as many cabinet ministers have “poor attendance records for decades”.

“But that never was the issue. When I was there (as deputy prime minister and finance minister), I sat there and I listened no matter how much it hurt listening to the opposition at that time.

“Yes, they did that (boycott) on purpose yesterday. It was actually disappointing to have that. But was there any discussion made with us before deciding on the stimulus package? No,” said Anwar.

RM1 bil for Khazanah for prawn farming

Later at a press conference, Anwar said one of the flaws in the package was the failure of the government to look at the private sector as the major cataclysm player.

“If they had looked at it that way, then they would have given more incentives including tax reduction relief to the private sector or companies, even to the small and medium industry,” he said.

“On the contrary what has been supported by the stimulus package are the government companies. Khazanah Nasional has been given close to RM1 billion for prawn farming... can you imagine that?

“We dealing with economics, therefore we cannot be in denial.

“The first thing that should be done when managing a crisis situation is to allow the people to be involved and don't underestimate their ability to understand,” he added.

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