DAP wants Anwar released for 'gathering of elders'

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DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has called for a gathering of national elders including jailed former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim for a "Save Malaysia" summit amid scandals plaguing the nation.

 

He said among those who should attend are former government leaders and political veterans as well as civil society leaders.

 

Among them, he named Mahathir Mohamad ( photo ), Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Musa Hitam, Muhyiddin Yassin, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Rafidah Aziz, Simon Sipaun, Daniel Tajem, Ambiga Sreenevasan, Ramon Navaratnam and Bishop Dr Paul Tan.

 

"In this connection, I call on the government to release Anwar Ibrahim from Sungai Buloh prison to fully participate in a national “Save Malaysia” Summit to prevent Malaysia from becoming a rogue and failed state," said Lim in a statement today.

 

Lim, who is also Gelang Patah MP, noted that Malaysia was plagued by problems on several fronts, including the plunging ringgit which value has exceeded RM4 to a US dollar.

 

"There is gloom on the economic front, as apart from the worst devaluation of the ringgit in 17 years since August 1998, the stock market has continued to plunge across-the-board, foreign-exchange reserves have dropped below US$100 billion for the first time since 2010 and foreign capital is exiting the country at an unprecedented rate.

 

"But economic woes are not Malaysia’s only problems," he said.

 

Lim ( photo ) said Malaysia is also suffering the worst crisis of confidence in the country's history amid investigations into the RM2.6 billion deposits into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal bank accounts and apparent attempts to scuttle the probe.

 

"The time has come to end the political and economic crisis confronting Malaysia - for all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or party affiliation to stand on the common platform as Malaysians to save Malaysia from hurtling towards a rogue and a failed state.

 

"We must stop Malaysia from becoming a rogue state and protect and uphold our constitutional guarantees of democracy, rule of law, human rights of free speech and assembly," he said.



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