Despite recent infighting, Pakatan Rakyat leaders came together last night in a show of solidarity to support parliamentary opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as he faces the possibility of jail.

 

On Tuesday, the Federal Court will decide if he should be freed or face a five-year jail term, as ruled by the Court of Appeal.

 

The 1,000 strong crowd at Ampang Jajar in Permatang Pauh, Penang last night included personalities like DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PAS deputy chief Mohamed Sabu.

 

Even Selangor Menteri Besar and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali ( right ), said to be at loggerheads with Anwar, was present last night, together with sacked air force pilot major Zaidi Ahmad, and student leader Fahmi Zainol.

 

Other notable personalities included Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow,  Batu Kawan MP Kasthurirani Patto, PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli and Alor Setar MP Gooi Hsiao Leung.

 

Zaidi was recently discharged from his duties by a military court for lodging a police report against indelible ink during the May 2013 general election, while Fahmi was suspended by Universiti Malaya for two years for organising a talk featuring Anwar at the university.

 

During his speech, Anwar called for Pakatan Rakyat to be strengthened, and for the coalition, which won 52 percent of the popular vote in GE13, to carry on his struggle.

 

Anwar was poised to be Pakatan’s prime minister if the coalition of DAP, PAS and PKR had won the polls on May 5 that year.

 

Meanwhile, Pakatan leaders are to meet today to iron out their conflict which has heightened recently due to several tiffs between DAP and PAS.

 

The two allies are at loggerheads over PAS insistence to implement the hudud law in Kelantan, and the party’s rejection of DAP’s model for local government elections.

 

“I will pray eight times so that this meeting will go on smoothly. We have to go back to our common policy and continue what we have promised the people,” revealed Anwar.

 

Sodomy charges

 

On Feb 10, the Federal Court will decide whether Anwar will be jailed for the second time, this time for five years, for sodomy charges.

 

He was sacked from his deputy prime minister post in 1998 and jailed for six years in 2000, for abuse of power related to his first sodomy charge, after which he led the reformasi movement.

 

At all times, Anwar has insisted that the charges against him were “politically motivated” to end his political career.

 

During his speech, Anwar also told Muslims in Malaysia that they needed an overhaul in their actions and thoughts. 

 

“Accept reality, change our attitude, increase our faith, improve our behaviour, put aside our arrogance and speak nicely to others, strengthen the way we govern,” he said.

 

He said the World Forum on Muslim Democrats, which he chairs, and supported by countries like Indonesia, Turkey and Japan, called for justice and freedom for all, and rejects racism and extremism.

 

“So that we do not submit to Isil (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), to Boko Haram (Nigeria’s militant group) - it is embarrassing,” he told the 1,000 strong crowd.

 

“So you are happy that Muslims in Afghanistan demolished ancient Buddhist relics because they are the majority? What if in India, mosques are demolished or in Italy, they do not allow mosques to be built?” he asked.

 

“Think further than this, don’t just talk of Malay, Malay or Malay, or Islam, Islam and Islam, when logs or shares are stolen, it affects all in the country,” added the Permatang Pauh MP.

 

He said the Muslim world is in shambles, and he was “embarrassed” that French cartoonists from French magazine- Charlie Hedbo - were shot for allegedly insulting the Prophet. 

 

“As a result of their murder, five million Muslims in Paris live in fear now.  Women who wear headgear are scared because others are now angry with Islam although the shootings were carried out by a group of extremists,” he added. 

 

“Now Japan, which in the past, hardly showed any anti-Islamic sentiments, will now become anti-Islam as their journalist was beheaded by  those claiming to be from the Islamic State,” he stressed.