Ketika bini Zaid kata 'OK' bang, Anwar disambut meriah di gereja Kajang...

Zaid Ibrahim dalam satu sidang medianya dirumahnya hari ini setelah mendapat keizinan dan perkenan dari isterinya, telah mengesahkan akan bertanding di PRK Kajang sebagai calon bebas lawan DSAI atas prinsip dan manifesto mau mempertahan Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim sebagai Menteri Besar Selangor.

Tidak kah ini alasan yang agak pelik dan bodoh sebab Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim dari awal pengumuman sampailah ke hari ini berdiri teguh dan sokong padu pencalonan DSAI di PRK Kajang serta langkah-langkah yang diambil yang kini dikenali sebagai "LANGKAH KAJANG".

Tan Sri Khalid diangkat sebagai Pengarah Pilihanraya KEADILAN PRK Kajang.

Jadi dimana logiknya alasan Zaid Ibarhim mau masuk ke gelanggang bertarung dengan DSAI disebabkan mam mempertahan Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim sedangkan beliau mau memenangkan DSAI?.

Punyalah flip flop Zaid Ibrahim sekejap cakap kerana mau menyekat politik liar DSAI dari beliau menjadi MB Selangor .. lepas tu cakap dia bertanding bukan kerana DSAI pula.

Ini macam punya pemimpin pun ada ka??????? .. langsung sudah tiada beza dengan pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO gred kangkung.

Bekas presiden KITA, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim hari ini secara rasminya mengumumkan akan bertanding pada pilihan raya kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) N25 Kajang sebagai calon bebas.

Beliau berkata, keputusan itu dibuat atas pertimbangan membela prinsip politik sihat dan bersih, serta untuk menghormati mandat rakyat Selangor terhadap kepimpinan Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

"Keputusan ini telah pun saya fikir dengan baik, panjang lebar dan semasak-masaknya," katanya kepada pemberita dalam satu sidang media pada Ahad.

Kata Zaid yang juga bekas Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri itu, rancangan Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim untuk mengangkat dirinya sebagai Menteri Besar Selangor menggantikan Khalid adalah satu tindakan politik liar.

Bagaimanapun beliau menafikan tindakan beliau bertanding itu adalah kerana Anwar bertanding di situ.

Tambahnya jika Khalid dan pasukannya hendak 'disingkirkan', biar lah ia dilakukan melalui proses demokrasi di mana segala kelemahan dan kekuatan boleh diperbincangkan dan mengikut proses yang sesuai.-f/bk

3 pilihan Cikgu Robert pada Anwar...

- malaysiakini
Anwar diajukan 3 soalan sukar, namun dia menjawab 3 soalan itu dengan hanya satu jawapan yang penuh bermakna. Pemimpin bukan saja boleh mentadbir, tetapi mesti bijak dalam berbicara.

Quizzed by voter, Anwar coy about becoming MB...

PKR de facto leader Anwar today declined to give a straight answer on whether he will become the new Selangor menteri besar if he wins the Kajang by-election, despite having dropped several hints in the past week.

Anwar, while visiting a church in Kajang today, was posed the question by a voter who said that he will only vote for the politician if he, indeed, becomes the new menteri besar.

"If you answer yes, I will vote for you; If you answer no, I will not; and if you answer that you are not sure, then I am not sure who I will vote for," said teacher Robert Tan.

A bemused Anwar (left) replied: "You have given me three choices, I will answer like this:

"Cikgu (Teacher) Robert Tan, sir, support me in Kajang and we will prove to you that you made the right decision.

"I am only willing to say that," he quipped.

Earlier, Anwar presented a speech at the Holy Family Church Hall in Kajang, which was jointly organised by the church and the Centre for Reform, Democracy and Social Initiatives.

Some 1,200 people flooded the hall after Sunday school to give the federal opposition leader an enthusiastic welcome.

He spoke at length about the needed brotherhood among multiple races and religions, quoting from both the Quran and the Bible to an impressed crowd.

'Government inaction'

He also lamented the growing tension incited by "extremist elements" and the government's unwillingness to act on the issue.

"They (extremists) throw fire bombs into church compounds; no one is arrested.

"They offer rewards to the public to slap other people, yet no (immediate) action was taken by the police.

"And they threaten another May 13. That’s a very serious threat. Yet, these people are immune from the law," he said.

He emphasised the need to re-prioritise on bread-and-butter issues such as the rising costs of living which are actually impacting on the people.

Despite his popular welcome, Anwar was not spared tough questions at the meet-the-people session, such as whether Malaysia was a secular state or not - a hot potato for many politicians.

Wading in, Anwar said secularism had different meanings in different countries and that it was best to focus on the substance rather than the label.

"I have avoided using whether ‘Islamic state’ or ‘secularism’ and I appeal to the people to instead look at the constitutional guarantees (on religious practices)," he added.

Commenting on the 'Allah' issue, Anwar also reiterated that the "permanent solution" should be that other faiths should have a right to manage its own affairs.

'Eye on Kajang'

He noted that his coming to a church was likely to solicit attack from the government-run media.

"I used to visit churches since I was Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) president in the 1970s and as a minister for interfaith conferences, and now I am visiting churches and will continue to visit churches," he said.

He added that he continued giving his views at church events even as a government minister.

"So to the Umno-controlled media here, note that I have been going to church, I'm here now, and Insyallah,I will continue to do so."

In an obvious response to critics who had chided him for standing as an assemblyman, after he was once acting prime minister, Anwar admitted that he had gone from one extreme to the other and his experiences would help him.

"I was right up there as acting PM and then went to prison, so I'm wiser and have benefited from all my life's experiences," he said.

Anwar’s visit to the Holy Family church is part of his meet-the-people programme ahead of the Kajang by-election, which he is contesting as a PKR candidate.

His "rock star" appeal was obvious with parishioners excitedly waiting for nearly three hours to catch him in action.

When Anwar appeared just before noon, there was thunderous applause and everybody tried to capture the moment with the cameras on their handphones.

The multi-purpose hall was packed, with many having to stand.

Dressed smartly in a light pink striped shirt and brown pants, the crowd cheered when Anwar spoke about how he had brought international fame to Kajang.

"The international media mentioned me in their news, saying that my decision to stand here in 'Kay Jang' shocked my friends and foes," he said to rapturous applause.

Beaming from ear to ear, a 72-year old parishioner, who wants to be known only as Alex, said: "I have heard him speak many times, and I wouldn't want to miss this.

"We totally support him and want to hear what he has to say, especially on the Allah issue," he added.

Alex said that during the 8.30am mass, their priest had told the congregation to welcome the opposition leader as "he is our brother".

Alex said that to address the concern among a small group of parishioners who  had questioned the wisdom of allowing Anwar to speak at their parish for fear of a backlash from Muslim extremists,  Harrison had told his congregation "not to be afraid".

"I believe the church's stand is to accept everybody, so even if it was an Umno politician who wanted to speak in our church, we are not going to say no," Alex said.

Debbie, a housewife, agreed, saying that she and her friends were eager to hear Anwar's plans.

"As Christians we are taught never to resort to violence, and we stick to that.

"But the country needs a change of political power because what we want is unity not just in talk, but in action."

Another parishioner Andrew Loh agreed, saying that Christians were concerned over the Allah issue and wanted to hear what Anwar had to say about it.

"The Allah case is in court because that is the only avenue for us. As Debbie said, we will not resort to violence, but it is our right to go to court," he said.

Bernard, 45, agreed, saying that the case was about principles and the "rights of Christians".

Marcel, 50, said he fully backed Anwar as Selangor menteri besar as it was necessary for the latter to get back into mainstream politics. 

Also present were Centre for Reform, Democracy and Social Initiatives director Datuk Seri Dr Edmund Santhara and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali.

Others include his party colleagues comprising Subang MP R.Sivarasa, Batu MP Tian Chua, Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming,Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, PKR vice president Datuk Chua Jui Meng.

The Election Commission has set March 23 as the polling date for the Kajang by-election, the country’s third since the general election last May, while nomination is on March 11. Early voting has been fixed for March 19.

On a question whether Anwar contesting in Kajang would make a difference to the town, the veteran politician pointed out that the national and international media now has its eyes on Kajang.

"You should thank me for that," he joked.

"In fact, before the election you will have millions spent by the federal government, that is also a blessing... so please receive them and don't forget to say ‘thank you’, but make sure you vote the right party," he cheekily added.- malaysiakini/tmi

cheers.