(Kuching, Sunday): DAP reiterates our call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Anwar allegations, both into the serious allegations of sexual misconduct, corruption, murder, sedition and treason made against Anwar Ibrahim as well as Anwar's equally serious allegations that the instruments of government have been manipulated in a political conspiracy to topple him as Deputy Prime Minister.
The events of the past 11 days since the unprecedented sacking of Anwar as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister have made the establishment of such a Royal Commission of Inquiry even more imperative to restore confidence, which is a prerequisite to any economic turnaround and recovery.
There are at least four additional reasons why such a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Anwar allegations, both those made against him and by him, should be set upl
Firstly, eleven days after the unprecedented sacking of Anwar as DPM and Finance Minister, the Police has not completed investigations into the various charges made against Anwar nor has the Attorney-General made any decision that there is a prima facie evidence to charge Anwar for any crime.
Even more disturbing, from the last statement by the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Rahim Noor on the matter three days ago, it would appear that Police investigations are only focussed on allegations of sexual misconduct. Does this mean that the earlier allegations against Anwar about corruption, sedition, murder and treason have been dropped?
However, Anwar has already been convicted of the most heinous crimes in a trial by media, both electronic and printed, converting him from the No. 2 man in the country into the No. 1 criminal. Are the electronic and printed media going to publish a fulsome apology to Anwar from such patent injustice?
Secondly, Anwar has questioned the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, a matter which had disturbed legal and judicial circles, inside and outside the country, for the past decade.
Thirdly, only a Royal Commission of Inquiry can do justice to the very serious allegations made by Anwar that the instruments of government had been manipulated in a political conspiracy to topple him as Deputy Prime Minister, for clearly it is impossible that the instruments of government accused in these allegations could be fair or just in conducting any investigations into these serious charges by Anwar.
Fourthly, the huge crowds which have turned out, not only outside Anwar's house at Damansara Heights in Kuala Lumpur, but also in various parts of the country, is indicative of a strong national demand for a fair and independent inquiry into the allegations made against Anwar as well as allegations made by Anwar.
On Friday night, some 30,000 people gathered in Bangi, Selangor to listen to Anwar although the former DPM was not allowed to speak for lack of a police permit. Yesterday evening, tens of thousands gathered in his Penang constituency while some 50,000 people turned up in Kedah last night to hear him.
When I met Anwar more than a week ago and discussed with him my proposal for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the allegations made against him and by him, Anwar agreed. I call on the Prime Minister to show the nation and the world that the government is prepared to have an independent public inquiry into the Anwar allegations by way of a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
DAP is more democratic than UMNO
The sacking of Anwar as DPM and Finance Minister when police investigations into the multitude of charges against him had not been completed is patently unjust, turning the fundamental principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty on its head.
The removal of Anwar as Deputy UMNO President by sacking him as an UMNO member is an UMNO matter for which I would not want to comment, except to remark that the DAP is clearly more democratic than UMNO.
When the DAP took disciplinary action against three leaders in June this year, the DAP was the victim of a barrage of medium attacks that the DAP was undemocratic, and Mahathir even weighed in to make caustic remarks as to how undemocratic is the DAP.
But Malaysians can now see who is really undemocratic. Before the DAP Central Executive Committee took disciplinary action against three DAP leaders, the whole process of inquiry and the right to be heard was complied with.
This is however not the case in UMNO in the removal of Anwar as Deputy UMNO President.
When UMNO Supreme Council met on Sept. 3, it sacked Anwar as an UMNO member and in the process removed Anwar as Deputy President. I would have thought that the UMNO Supreme Council would have first reconstituted the UMNO Disciplinary Committee, which was headed by Anwar, to first decide on whether Anwar had committed gross breach of discipline to warrant the ultimate punishment of expulsion, and giving Anwar the right to appeal to the UMNO Supreme Council in the event of such an eventuality.
If the DAP CEC had acted like the UMNO Supreme Council, sacking a DAP leader without referring it first to the Disciplinary Committee, the DAP would have been pilloried as undemocratic. But I do not see any mass media, whether electronic or printed, accusing the UMNO Supreme Council of being undemocratic. This is why I say DAP is more democratic than UMNO.
DAP to focus on seven parliamentary constituencies in Sarawak in the next general elections
The next general elections holds out the historic opportunity to deny the Barisan Nasional its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority, so that the government could be more responsive and sensitive to the hopes and aspirations of Malaysians for justice, freedom, democracy and good governance in Malaysia.
In this historic mission to deny the Barisan Nasional its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority, Sarawak must play an important role. For this reason, the DAP will for a start focus on seven parliamentary constituencies in Sarawak in the next general elections which we regard as winnable, namely Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sibu, Lanang, Bintulu, Sarikei and Miri.
I call on the people of Sarawak to join Malaysians throughout the country to rally behind a new national movement for justice, freedom, democracy and good governance.
(13/9/98)