Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim sees no reason for the government to detain him under the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial.

anwar ibrahim pc call for emergency parliament meeting 180908 01 According to him, there are many pressing issues at hand.

"There is no reason to arrest me under the ISA, we have a major political problem and the economy is in near crisis given the global economic situation and financial convulsions in the Unites States.

"This is what the PM (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) should focus on," he told a press conference.

The possibility of an ISA arrest was raised when Abdullah yesterday described the opposition leader as a threat to the economy and national security.

"I find the prime minister’s comment about me in his press conference yesterday to be reckless and irresponsible in light of the disastrous outcome of last Friday’s ISA raids," said Anwar.

'Destroy the country'

Abdullah had refused to say what action he would take against Anwar.

"I will not indicate what plan I will take, what I do will be in the best interests of the people and the country," he told reporters yesterday.

abdullah ahmad badawi pm pc 160908 02 "Because of Anwar's actions, there are fund managers who have reported that Malaysia is purportedly no longer a good place for investment because of the unstable political climate."

Abdullah said the opposition leader has lied a lot about the country's economic status, even claiming that there is no foreign direct investments (FDI) coming in.

On the contrary, the premier said FDI is still flowing in and Malaysia is popular among investors.

"Anwar wants to destroy the country and exploit the people’s trust and tarnish the country’s image abroad."

‘Economic crisis'

Anwar also brushed off talks that he was responsible for the economic and political problems within the country and claimed Abdullah was shifting the blame.

"(He also blamed me for the bad) stock market performance, a day after the mini-cabinet reshuffle and appointment of the new finance minister," he said with a tinge of sarcasm.

anwar ibrahim pc call for emergency parliament meeting 180908 02 Anwar said that any responsible government leadership would not resort to ISA arrests due to the current political and economic "crisis".

"It is therefore pertinent for them to think of the nation and not just themselves.

"In addition to that, you must realise that this is now a minority government. The majority of the MPs are now with us in Pakatan," he added.

Change of gov't not 'organised violence'

DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said that the prime minister’s “uncharacteristically stern and harsh allegation” has sparked speculation of an Operation Lallang II.

“All right-thinking Malaysians must deplore in the strongest terms the veiled threat by Abdullah that Anwar would be arbitrarily and undemocratically silenced...,” said Lim who was twice detained under ISA in 1969 and the Operation Lallang of 1987.

According to him, the accusation that Anwar is a national security threat is a “most ludicrous and preposterous one”.

“The toppling of the BN government by getting the allegiance of the majority of the 222 MPs in Parliament to support a Pakatan Rakyat government is neither ‘subversion’ nor ‘organised violence’ intended in the preamble of the ISA enacted 48 years ago in 1960.

“In fact, the toppling of the government-of-the-day is part and parcel of the democratic process if the government-of-the-day loses support of the majority of the elected MPs, resulting in a change of government.”

Lim said that such democratic challenges do not become threats to national security just “because those in power are in fear of losing the perks of office and power”.