Anwar unfazed by Sembrong attack...

Despite the attack against PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim at a ceramah in Sembrong, Johor, last Sunday, the opposition leader vowed that he would not be cowed by such violence.

Relating the incident in which his vehicle was stoned and kicked, Anwar said he arrived in Sembrong at 11.30pm from Endau.

"Soon after I got to Sembrong, my car was attacked and dented by a group of youngsters, and the mirrors were broken," he told some 1,000 people at a ceramah in Gombak Setia, Selangor, last night,

"There were police around, but they were unable to control the situation. And when I was about to present my speech, the youngsters threw firecrackers," he said.

These youngsters, Anwar claimed, were paid to create trouble and blamed Umno for making use of the youths.

"They were paid RM20 and they created trouble... This is how far the mentality of our youth has been damaged at the hands of Umno. If there is any Umno remnant in you, discard it. Please stop, it shames us.

"Don't be fools or try to fool others - be someone who has pride," Anwar said before singing a line from the Umno song, "Lambang kita yang gagah" (Our mighty symbol), to the amusement of the crowd.

Umno, he added, could hire thugs to harass him and even condemn him in the media, but his response would always be: "I will not be moved."

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution had said yesterday some 50 to 80 youngsters on motorcycles had disrupted the Sembrong ceramah by blasting their motorcycle horns and revving the engines.

The incident was just one of a series of disruptions of PKR ceramah sessions in recent weeks as Anwar makes his foray into BN strongholds ahead of an impending general election.

Last Monday, Anwar's visit to Felda Ghafar Baba at Machap in Alor Gajah, Malacca, was marred by rowdy UMNO supporters who came to disrupt his ceramah, and last Friday, a roadblock was set up during his ceramah in Pekan, Pahang.

Let's debate on Israel, Anwar tells Umno

The ceramah last night was intended to clear the air over the controversy Anwar's alleged support for Israel. Anwar explained that his statement had been taken out of context as he had told Wall Street Journal that the security of Israel was "contingent" on that country's respect for the aspirations of the Palestinian people.

"But perhaps TV3 has poor English and could not understand the word 'contingent'. Maybe they thought it was the Commonwealth sports contingent," he quipped.

"I have consistently defended the issue of Palestine, but Umno says I support Israel and condemns me. If this is true, then let's debate."

Noting the face-to-face debate between the MCA and DAP chiefs last Saturday, Anwar said he would be pleased if Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak took up his challenge for a debate.

"Don't worry, I'll be nice, like how I treated (Youth and Sports Minister) Ahmad Shabery Cheek the last time," he said.

Anwar had in 2008 went into the ring with Ahmad Shabery in a live telecast debate on petrol price and oil royalty.

Anwar tak gentar dengan serangan di Sembrong

Di sebalik taktik liar kerajaan BN untuk menakut-nakutkan pemimpin dan penyokong Pakatan daripada menembusi kubu kuat mereka, Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Anwar Ibrahim berkata beliau langsung tidak gentar dengan kejadian di Sembrong, Johor pada Ahad lalu.

Menceritakan pengalaman di mana keretanya diserang kepada kira-kira 1,000 hadirin dalam satu lagi ceramah di Gombak Setia malam semalam, ketua umum PKR itu berkata kerajaan, khususnya Umno tidak lagi boleh memperbodohkan rakyat.

Menurut Anwar, beliau tiba di Sembrong kira-kira jam 11:30 malam dari Endau.

"Apabila saya berada di Semborong, kereta saya diserang dan ditendang, cermin hadapan dipecahkan oleh sekumpulan anak-anak muda.

"Terdapat polis di kawasan sekitar tetapi tidak berbuat apa-apa untuk mengawal keadaan. Malah semasa saya menyampaikan ucapan, mereka membaling mercun," katanya.

Anak-anak muda ini, dakwa Anwar, telah dibayar oleh Umno untuk menimbulkan kekacauan dan masalah.

"Mereka dibayar RM20 untuk menimbulkan kekacauan... inilah mentaliti belia kita yang telah rosakkan di tangan Umno.

"Jika masih ada sisa-sisa Umno di dalam diri kamu, buangkannya, sila berhenti, kerana ini memalukan bagi diri kita.

Anwar yang suatu ketika dahulu adalah juga timbalan presiden Umno berkata rakyat tidak harus diperbodohkan atau diperdayakan oleh parti itu. Sambil memetik senikata lagu Umno, beliau kemudian mendendangkan lagu itu: " Lambang kita yang gagah” sambil disambut gelak ketawa hadirin.
 
Dalam nada lebih serius, Umno, kata Anwar, boleh mengupah samseng untuk mengganggu majlis Pakatan ataupun membidas dan memburuk-burukkan beliau dalam media, tetapi katanya, beliau tetap tidak gentar dan tdak akan bertolak ansur.

Pada kejadian malam Ahad itu, selain kereta Anwar dipecahkan, kira-kira 50 hingga 80 anak muda yang bermotosikal menggangu ceramah Pakatan di Sembrong dengan membuat bising serta merempit di kawasan sekitar.

Kejadian itu hanya salah satu daripada siri gangguan dalam beberapa minggu kebelakangan ini apabila pemimpin Pakatan cuba menggempur kubu-kubu BN, khususnya Umno menjelang pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Isnin lalu, kunjungan Anwar ke Felda Tun Ghafar Baba, di Machap,  Alor Gajah juga dicemari oleh penyokong Umno yang mengganggu ceramah beliau.

Manakala pada Jumaat lalu pula sekatan jalan raya didirikan daripda menghalang pemimpin dan penyokong Pakatan daripada menghadri ceramah yang dijadualkan di kubu Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak di Pekan.

Malah, Anwar terpaksa menaiki motosikal untuk menuju ke lokasi cermahnya.

Pada ceramahnya, malam semalam, Anwar juga mengambil kesempatan bagi menjelaskan dakwaan kerajaan bahawa beliau menyokong negara Israel dan tidak membantu perjuangan rakyat Palestin.
Beliau mengulangi kepada hadirin  bahawa kenyataannya dipetik di luar konteks.

Jelasnya, beliau memang menyebut bahawa beliau menyokong segala usaha untuk melindungi keselamatan negara Israel, tetapi pendirian tersebut tertakluk kepada syarat bahawa Israel mesti menghormati aspirasi rakyat Palestin.

"Saya secara konsisten mempertahankan isu Palestin tetapi Umno mengatakan saya sokong Israel dan mengutuk saya, jika ini adalah benar, maka mari kita berdebat," katanya.

source:malaysiakini

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