Matthias ends hunger strike, girds loins to battle Najib
Detained lawyer Matthias Chang ended his hunger strike yesterday, since no Umno leader accepted his challenge to die for their respective causes.
Among those he challenged were Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Umno leaders Mohd Ali Rustam, Ahmad Maslan, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Annuar Musa, Abdul Rahman Dahlan and Azalina Othman.
"Since no persons named (accepted my challenge) and since I have survived my hunger strike for seven days and have not suffered any serious injury to my health, this is evidence that Allah has protected me.
"In the circumstances, I have demonstrated the justice of my course – justice, truth and honour and Najib having failed to do so, I shall not be required to continue with my hunger strike," he said in a statement posted on his website.
Chang had gone on hunger strike when he was arrested under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act on Oct 8.
He has since been charged together with his client Khairuddin Abu Hassan for attempting to sabotage the country's banking and financial services sector.
Their prosecution for lodging police reports against 1MDB overseas has been criticised as an attempt to silence Najib's critics.
Chang, who is currently receiving treatment at the Sungai Buloh prison infirmary, said he would now gather his strength to fight the prime minister.
"I will now therefore apply all my strength and energy to fight shoulder and shoulder with Khairuddin to expose the abuse of power by the Najib regime until total victory for all Malaysians for value, truth, justice and honour," he said.
Chang, who is a Catholic, said he believed that Allah, the Hindu goddess Kali, and Taoist deities would protect him and grant him strength in his fight against Najib.
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