Anwar courts ethnic Chinese from behind bars

Anwar courts ethnic Chinese from behind bars

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): From behind bars, ousted deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim is making attempts to court Malaysia's ethnic Chinese ahead of the Lunar New Year.

In a two-page statement faxed to AFP, Anwar warned of a new plot to "plant fear" of ethnic clashes among the country's many races and turn them against reforms.

"Racism is the best weapon to pull wool over the people's eyes from the current political duress, the economic crisis, corruption and oppression," the former leader said.

"I am confident that the Chinese community is wise and mature, and not easily taken in by the cheap tactics of a group of corrupt Malay and Chinese political leaders."

Ethnic Chinese, who make up one-third of Malaysia's 22 million population, have largely regarded the Anwar saga as a Malay issue barring the participation of a few opposition leaders.

Anwar, 51, was sacked by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in September following differences over economic policies. He was later arrested and charged with 10 counts of corruption and sodomy, all of which he dismissed as part of a political conspiracy to oust him.

His trial on four of the corruption charges started in early November and Anwar last week entered the witness box to mount his defense.

In his new year message, Anwar blamed the "arrogance of the present leadership" for the country's political and economic mess -- Malaysia plunged into recession for the first time in 13 years in 1998.

"The crisis was the result of economic policies based purely on the penchant for mega projects and a crony system that (enriched) a wealthy minority and isolated the majority poor," he said.

"And because I opposed the policies internally, I was ousted through a well-organized, expensive and despicable political conspiracy."

Anwar charged that corruption in the government was worsening, with the children, family and cronies of some leaders awarded projects and made nominees of big companies.

He alleged that fewer than 10 people linked to the leadership jointly account for loans worth some 70 billion ringgit (US$18 billion).

Anwar voiced regret over the abuse of the New Economic Policy, which gives preferential treatment for ethnic Malays.

"The handicap in the implementation of the policy has also caused frustration among the races, including the Chinese community," he said.

The policy was instituted in 1970 to allow the poorer Malays to catch up with the wealthier Chinese following bloody racial riots. It aims to put 30 percent of corporate wealth into the hands of the Malays.

Anwar, who was an Islamic activist in his student days, noted that there were efforts to slander him and turn the Chinese community against his reform movement.

He cited his close ties with various religious groups despite heading the Islamic Youth Movement before he joined the government in 1982.

During his tenure as education minister, he said he encouraged the wide use of English and Chinese, and ordered that the literatures of eastern and western cultures be translated into Malay.

"I do not have to be apologetic in my attitude towards the Chinese people. They know my stand as a youth leader and my role in politics and the government," he said.

Anwar said the reform movement did not intend to undermine government's plans to revive the economy but to "oppose any efforts to save companies belonging to cronies using public money."

Weekly street demonstrations by Anwar supporters to call for reforms following his arrest had died down in November but his wife Azizah formed the Social Justice Movement (ADIL) in December to take up his cause.

In a message published in the Islamic opposition newspaper Harakah, Azizah said she hoped no political leader or media would exploit the new year to "instill fear" among the Chinese population.

"Chinese New Year is certainly not a season for political propaganda and negative psychological warfare," she said.

Azizah thanked Chinese supporters who "give us quiet but firm moral support in this critical time of trial and tribulation."