PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim has denied allegations that he had questioned pro-bumiputera policies such as the New Economic Policy (NEP) in order to garner support from the Chinese community.

He said he had criticised the NEP because he did not agree with it.

“There are people who claimed that I criticised the NEP in 2007 to win support of the Chinese, particularly DAP.

“I had criticised the NEP since 1979. You can read what I had said at the Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) 1979 annual general meeting.

“I criticised it because it is a race-based policy; it only benefits only a small fraction of society that is wealthy while neglecting the majority who are destitute,” he said.

Anwar said this while addressing the 47th Abim annual general meeting at the Dewan Canselor Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia in Nilai today.

Nevertheless, he clarified that this does not mean any action that protects racial and religious interests should be opposed and criticised the “hysteria” of certain quarters who refused to hear such concerns being put forward.

“Prior to the Port Dickson by-election, there is a group of ‘super-liberals’ who attacked me and accused me of representing only the views for Malay and Islam.

“It used to be that if you want to make it (in politics) in Malaysia you’d have to be a Malay extremist. Now you can’t even talk about the language and religious interests, like a pendulum,” he said.

Anwar said this is not the cause of the Reformasi movement, which is to oppose tyranny and discrimination.

“What we don’t want is tyranny and discrimination, whether between the rich and poor, between social classes or between races,” he said.

Anwar also urged Muslims in the country to be more open in realising the new government’s reform agenda.

“Malaysia is now more open and freer. Perhaps there are Muslims who would feel threatened by this change.

“Nevertheless, we must never support those who take a narrow and authoritarian approach.

“If we are to defend this freedom, we cannot be held in check by draconian laws,” he said.