Anwar - UMNO act like Israel - Malaysiakini

KUALA TERENGGANU - Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim drew parallels tonight between the conflict in Gaza and what he called the sufferings of Malaysians as he hit the campaign trail at a mammoth rally attended by thousands here.

Attempting to touch a sensitive chord among the mainly Muslim constituency here, he accused Umno, the main party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, of acting like Israel.

"The leadership is busy collecting wealth. While Israel is punishing the Palestinian people for choosing Hamas, it is no different from Umno punishing Malaysians for choosing the Pakatan Rakyat," he told a ceramah here on the first day of campaigning for the Kuala Terengganu by-election.

Datuk Nik Aziz speaking at the ceramah.

Thousands of local residents had gathered to listen to a star-studded Pakatan Rakyat (PR) rally here where besides Anwar, the DAP's Lim Kit Siang and Pas president Hadi Awang were also among the top draws.

The flag-waving crowd cheered loudly during Anwar's speech, punctuated with shouts of "Allahu Akbar", which translates as "God is Great," the standard clarion cry of the Pas faithful.

With a majority of Malaysia's Muslims backing the Palestinian cause, Israel's ongoing invasion of Gaza is having a major impact on domestic politics.

Political leaders from either side of the divide have been busy burnishing their Islamic credentials, and Anwar's attack against Umno tonight will likely put BN on the defensive in the days to come.

People listening to the speakers at the Pas ceramah at Pantai Tanjung.

The Kuala Terengganu by-election sees a three-way fight between BN's Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Salleh, Abdul Wahid Endut of Pas and independent Azharuddin Mamat.

Setting the tone for the campaign, Anwar told the huge flag waving crowd gathered at a beach behind the Astaka shopping centre here that the problem with Umno was that it was corrupt and ignored the suffering of ordinary Malaysians.

Sticking to his Gaza theme, he said: "Umno, like Israel, does not recognise the chosen Hamas leadership."

The Opposition Leader also spoke on the Hudud issue, and blamed "Umno and its controlled media" for fanning religious and racial hatred.

This listener finds something hilarious at the ceramah.

(TheMalaysianinsider)

Pas vice-president Husam Musa's recent remarks that his party would want to introduce Hudud, the strict Islamic code which prescribes amputation, stonning and whipping as punishment for criminal offences, had touched off criticisms from non-Muslim groups, including PR partners DAP.

While the Hudud issue has caused uneasiness in other parts of the country, it has little traction in the east coast states, where a huge majority of the population, are conservative Muslims.

Still, with a tight race anticipated, both the BN and PR campaigns are mindful of the need to secure the Chinese vote, which represents around 11 per cent of voters here.

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BN starts its 'capital' investment carnival in KT by election

KUALA TERENGGANU,– The roads leading into town are jammed as police mount roadblocks even before dawn as far away as Cendering.
What looks like thousands of BN supporters have been gathering from before 7am in Seri Iman, the huge official home of the Terengganu MB, for the march to the indoor stadium where the nomination will be held.

A breakfast buffet of the state’s specialties – nasi dagang and a variety of rich kueh – were served to the crowds.

A brief kerfuffle broke out between the sexes over what to carry – umbrellas, or BN and Umno flags – during the march, which is expected to start at 9am.

Several rounds of the BN anthem are played to further raise the spirits of the crowd ... which is already impossibly high.

It is noisy and packed and more festive than most New Year’s Eve celebrations ... if not for the pervasive presence of police personnel all over the streets.

The road directly in front of the indoor stadium, which incidentally resembles a mall front, has been sectioned off. It looks like a DMZ.

The road after that, which is in front of the district clinic, is like a market.

Vendors there are selling T-shirts featuring Pas president Hadi and various merchandise. Sadly, there are no buyers.

Unlike the BN side of the divide, the air here is heavy with the sound of silence. Tension is high.

Then all of a sudden, the tension breaks. Shouts of "Allahu Akbar!" fill the air as a small band makes its way up the street.

A pair of weighing scales against dark blue is spotted on the shirt of the leading man. On the sidewalk a group of white capped men shout in Malay: "Just wait here!"

In the Sultan Muhamud Mosque, named after the King's late father, locally known as the Ladang Mosque, vendors selling fried snacks and balloons wait for customers who don't come.

Just after 9am, the Pas parade is on the move with more cries of “Allahu Akbar!” and “Lawan Tetap Lawan!”. (TheMalaysianinsider)


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Female newcaster and actress among 24 detained for attending sex party

KUALA LUMPUR — Police arrested a female newscaster of a private television station, an actress and 24 others who took part in a sex party at a hotel room in Jalan P. Ramlee here today.

The two woman and seven others — six men and a woman — tested positive for drugs, said ASP Mahani Ahmad of the police’s vice, gambling and secret society branch.

All those arrested during the 3.30 am operation aged between 18 and 31 years, she said when contacted.

She said the police also found liquor and various drugs like ketamine, cocaine and syabu in the room on the 11th floor of the hotel and a 20-year-old student of a Kelana Jaya private college believed the drugs supplier was among those held.

During the raid, three couples were on the bed while the rest were entertaining themselves believed intoxicated, she said.

She said preliminary investigations showed the sex party was hosted by two men and those who attended it knew each other through Friendster, a social network in the internet.

Those arrested were taken to the Kuala Lumpur contingent police headquarters.

Meanwhile, about 40 people were arrested for various offences during the New Year’s eve party in Bukit Bintang where several fights took place between drunken youths.

A number of people including foreign tourists also lost cash, passports and electronic gadgets to pickpockets and 10 police reports were lodged at the mobile police station deployed there. — Bernama

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