Anwar deplores extremism fears raised by ruling party<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Jailed Malaysian ex-deputy premier Anwar
\nIbrahim accused on Friday the National Front of creating a
\n"culture of fear" and urged Chinese and Indian voters not to be
\nscared by forecasts of riots and Islamic extremism if the ruling
\ncoalition loses power.<\/p>\n
National Front advertisements in Friday newspapers told the
\nChinese community that voting for the opposition Alternative
\nFront alliance which Anwar heads meant throwing away their
\nreligious and cultural freedom.<\/p>\n
"Thousands of years of culture could disappear overnight if
\nthe opposition were to grab power," read one advertisement, with
\na torn picture of a traditional lion dance.<\/p>\n
Another said the ultimate goal of the opposition Parti Islam
\nSeMalaysia (PAS) was making Malaysia an Islamic state and "hudud"
\n(Islamic laws) for Muslims.<\/p>\n
PAS rules northeastern Kelantan, the only opposition-led
\nstate, and is part of the Alternative Front along with the
\nNational Justice Party led by Anwar's wife and the Chinese-
\ndominated Democratic Action Party (DAP).<\/p>\n
"If opposition elements can remove Chinese signage and cover
\nup Chinese characters -- they could easily remove and cover up
\nour places of worship as well," said the advert.<\/p>\n
"Vote opposition and you vote away your religious freedom," it
\ndeclared. Earlier adverts have predicted riots if the opposition
\nwins.<\/p>\n
Anwar, PAS and DAP have dismissed the fears and slammed the
\ncoalition for trying to frighten non-Malays in the multiracial
\nnation.<\/p>\n
In a letter read by his wife Azizah at a press conference,
\nAnwar said the ruling party was trying to create a "culture of
\nfear."<\/p>\n
"The intention is to shift focus from major corruption among
\nthe leadership, the practice of nepotism and cronyism as well as
\nwastage amid the mega-projects," he said in the letter from
\nSungai Buloh prison.<\/p>\n
"I believe that the people would not be easily cheated and
\ndeceived. I have never seen (Mahathir) ranting and raving as
\nbadly as this before. They must be in a state of alarm."<\/p>\n
Anwar told the Indian community not to be "easily scared or
\ndeceived by the slanders and lies of the National Front" and
\nurged them to "use your freedom to bring forth changes."<\/p>\n
Anwar, 52, was sacked by Mahathir in September 1998 and jailed
\nin April for six years for abusing his powers to quash
\nallegations of sexual misconduct. He is now on trial for sodomy.<\/p>\n
PAS, in a statement, said the advertisements instigated non-
\nMuslims to hate Islam. "These advertisements only show that the
\nNational Front is so desperate that it has to frighten the non-
\nMuslim and Chinese voters," it said.<\/p>\n
PAS said it was not extremist and had not denied non-Muslims
\nreligious and cultural rights during their rule in Kelantan since
\n1990.<\/p>\n
But the DAP Friday admitted the advertising campaign was
\ndamaging its chances with voters. "They are very confused," said
\nits chief Lim Kit Siang.<\/p>\n
"It's very bad," he said. "We can either win big or lose big.
\nWe can become the biggest losers."<\/p>\n
Mahathir, back on the campaign trail after resting on Thursday
\nto recover from a cold, described PAS during a speech in Kelantan
\nas fanatics.<\/p>\n
The PAS spearheads the challenge to him in the northern Malay
\nheartland. The sacking and jailing of Anwar, a charismatic former
\nIslamic youth leader, has divided Malay voters.<\/p>\n
"PAS will not be able to set up an Islamic state because they
\nneed a two-thirds majority in parliament to amend the
\nconstitution," Mahathir said.<\/p>\n
He said PAS was only standing in some 60 seats and its Islamic
\nstate was not backed by its partners in the Alternative Front.
\n"They (PAS) are speaking with a forked tongue and they cannot be
\ntrusted.<\/p>\n
"PAS has become a party of fanatics because they are not
\nreceptive to changes. They are rejecting everything," the
\n73-year-old premier said.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said doctors had advised him to speak for only 15
\nminutes. But he spoke for over 40 minutes, despite coughing
\nfrequently.<\/p>\n
"We want a united nation," he said. "Our political differences
\nshould not force us to pray differently.<\/p>\n
"But PAS practices a concept whereby those in different
\npolitical affiliations are not Moslem brothers. Indeed, they are
\nrejecting brotherhood in Islam.<\/p>\n
"They have deviated from the religion and it is our duty to
\nbring them to the correct path."<\/p>",
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