Anwar vs Najib ~ malaysiakini

Not much of a margin between Anwar and Najib in this survey, though 6% of Malaysia’s population of 27 million equates 1.62 million people.

Siapa PM yang lebih baik ?
Sep 29, 08 8:25pm

Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim muncul sebagai pilihan popular untuk menjadi perdana menteri, diikuti oleh Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, demikian menurut hasil tinjauan pendapat oleh Merdeka Center.

Hasil tinjauan tersebut menunjukkan 40 peratus memilih Anwar manakala Najib memperolehi 34 peratus. Manakala satu perempat responden tidak dapat memilih atau yakin dengan kedua-dua calon tersebut.

Dalam soalan berasingan, 39 peratus bersetuju Najib boleh menjadi perdana menteri hyang baik, manakala 44 peratus lagi tidak bersetuju.

Ini dianggap sebagai satu berita baik untuk timbalan perdana menteri itu walaupun ketinggalan di belakang Anwar kerana peratusan penerimaannya sebagai perdana menteri telah meningkat lima peratus berbanding dengan tinjauan pendapat Julai lalu. Manakala peratusan untuk Anwar pula turun tiga peratus.

Ketika dihubungi, pengarah eksekutif Merdeka Center, Ibrahim Suffin berkata ini adalah kali pertama mereka membandingkan Anwar dengan Najib.

“Antara sebab kami turut memasukkan soalan itu kali ini ialah kerana tinjauan ini dijalankan di sekitar 16 September. Juga, Anwar telah menonjolkan diri sebagai bakal perdana menteri,” kata Ibrahim.

Sebelum ini, penasihat PKR itu telah menetapkan tarikh 16 September untuk mengambil alih pentadbiran kerajaan pusat dari Barisan Nasional.

Seramai 1,002 responden dipilih untuk tinjauan pendapat tersebut yang diadakan antara 11 hingga 22 September lalu.

Ejen Amerika

Dalam tinjauan itu juga, hanya 15 peratus percaya tuduhan salahlaku seks terhadap Anwar manakala 13 peratus lagi percaya beliau seorang “penjenayah seksual”.

Walaupun 21 peratus percaya dengan tuduhan bahawa beliau menjadi “ejen Amerika” tetapi 51 peratus lagi percaya ketua pembangkang itu seorang pemimpin yang “kuat dan berwawasan” serta “seorang pengurus ekonomi yang cekap”.

Penyokong Anwar adalah lebih pelbagai kaum, berbanding dengan penyokong Najib yang sebahagian besarnya orang Melayu. Bagaimanapun, tidak dapat dipastikan sokongan sebenar orang Melayu kepada kedua-dua pemimpin tersebut.

Sebanyak 17 peratus orang responden Melayu percaya Anwar seorang “penjenayah seks” manakala hanya 8 peratus responden Cina dan 1 peratus responden India berkongsi sentimen tersebut.

Hasilnya adalah sama berhubung tuduhan Anwar seorang “ejen Amerika/Yahudi” dengan 28 peratus Melayu berkata “iya” berbanding dengan hanya 12 peratus (Cina) dan 4 peratus (India).

Apabila ditanya secara khusus sama ada Najib boleh menjadi perdana menteri yang baik – tanpa membandingkan beliau dengan orang lain – responden Melayu 52 peratus, Cina (29) dan India (10 peratus).

Mengenai Abdullah

Hasil tinjauan tersebut juga menunjukkan ranking bagi Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tidak berubah berbanding dengan tinjauan bagi bulan Julai.

Bagaimanapun, ramai rakyat Malaysia (21 peratus) menyifatkan keadaan politik yang tidak menentu yang menyelubungi negara sekarang sebagai kebimbangan mereka yang paling besar – meningkat daripada 10 peratus berbanding dengan dua bulan lalu.

Sebanyak 50 peratus berkata mereka masih begitu bimbang dengan isu-isu ekonomi.

The Next Step For Pakatan Rakyat

A press statement by Datu Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

On Tuesday I met with Pakatan Rakyat leadership from PAS in Kota Bharu, Kelantan and from DAP in Kuala Lumpur. Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat and PAS President Hajji Hadi Awang reaffirmed their commitment to the spirit and the goals of the coalition and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng expressed his satisfaction in the progress being made to strengthen and broaden the consensus among the Pakatan Rakyat parties and supporters from BN.

We also discussed the next steps that Pakatan Rakyat should take towards forming a government that reflects the support of the majority of Members of Parliament. Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s failure to accede to our request for an emergency session of Parliament represents another attempt by the UMNO-led BN government to sabotage and scuttle the democratic process.

Nevertheless I along with my colleagues in Pakatan remain confident that the people’s desire for change shall soon be attained. We will proceed cautiously towards our goals and we agreed neither to be provoked into hasty action nor to take an irresponsible approach that would lead to instability and greater uncertainty in country. I am not aware of any negotiations taking place between Pakatan Rakyat and the Prime Minister—statements made yesterday suggesting that a line of communication was open were misinformed.

There is a crisis of confidence in the current leadership of the nation at a time when the Malaysian people are demanding solutions for the highest increases in prices in two decades, increasing joblessness and the dramatic decline in investor confidence.

While the newly appointed Finance Minister boasts that the country is in sound economic standing, the facts tell a different story. In 2008 already over RM 125 billion has been withdrawn from the country by investors weary of a government that has failed to implement a single reform to ensure judicial independence and that continues to use draconian laws such as the ISA to detain its citizens without due process of law.

These basic reforms are cornerstones of Pakatan Rakyat’s vision to revive the economy, to create more growth and good jobs for Malaysian people, to attract foreign investment, and to ensure adherence to constitutional guarantees including the position of Islam as the religion of the federation, the freedom to practice other religions, Bahasa Melayu as the national language and the freedom to practice mother tongue languages, and the status of the Malay kings and the special position of the Malays and bumiputera.

ANWAR IBRAHIM
Opposition Chief
De-facto leader, Keadilan

Lim Guan Eng Visits Fire Site

Guan Eng moved to tears as he consoles fire victims
by Bernard Cheah

SEBERANG PERAI (Sept 22, 2008) : Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was moved to tears today when he tried to console the victims of a predawn fire in Mak Mandin here, which claimed two lives and left 14 families homeless.

“Be strong, do not lose hope,” he told them at the Mak Mandin Murugan Hindu Temple, where a relief centre has been set up.

He said the state government will do its best to help the victims.

The fire, which broke out at about 1.30 am, destroyed 16 houses and left 72 people homeless at the Mak Mandin Green House area.

A resident, M. Raman, 72, died when he was trapped in his house, and another, Abdul Hamid, 63, succumbed to a heart attack at Seberang Jaya Hospital, where he was admitted after he collapsed during the fire.

About 40 fire fighters and eight fire engines were at the scene.

The Butterworth Fire Department, which responded to a call at 1.48am, managed to prevent the fire from spreading with the help of fire fighters from the Bandar Perda and Kuala Muda stations.

Welfare Department officers, and volunteers from the DAP Bagan Service Centre were at the scene to help the victims, who were taken to temporary relief centres at the Murugan Temple, Mak Mandin Buddhist Temple, and the Mak Mandin Community Centre.

Lim presented RM500 to each families. Health, welfare and caring society committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the victims would be moved to a low-cost housing estate in Ambang Jajar soon.

Also present were Lim’s wife and Kota Melaka MP Betty Chew, Deputy Chief Minister II Prof Dr P. Ramasamy, public works, utilities and transport committee chairman Lim Hock Seng, Bagan Dalam state assemblyman A. Thanasekharan and Padang Lalang state assemblyman Michael Tan Cheong Heng.

A spokesman from the Butterworth fire station said the cause of the fire and losses were being investigated.

MP Teresa Kok Freed ~ malaysiakini

Finally, after 7 days in detention under the ISA, Teresa Kok has been released this afternoon.

MP Teresa Kok Freed
S Pathmawathy | Sep 19, 08 1:22pm

DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok was released at 1pm today, after being held under the Internal Security Act for a week, revealed her lawyer Sankara Nair.

- At Jalan Travers police station
- Press conference at 3.30pm

She held a press conference at 3.30pm. Alongside her was her parents, the MB of Selangor, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, DAP President, YB Karpal Singh, YB Lim Kit Siang & other Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

PRESS Statement by YB Teresa Kok, Member of Parliament for Seputeh, Senior Exco for Selangor State Government and ADUN for Kinrara on Sept 19, 2008 at Petaling Jaya.

My ISA detention is without any legal or moral basis. It is a clear abuse of detention without trial

I have been released after being detained in solitary confinement in a 6-by-8 holding cell for seven days under the Internal Security Act (ISA). I was informed by the police that they detained me under section 73(1) of Internal Security Act 1960, which means I have incited racial and religious tension and conflict.

After being detained for seven days under the guise of so-called investigations, the police failed to produce any evidence or proof of me being involved in the activities of causing racial and religious tension. They were only able to ask me few questions based entirely on the false and malicious article written by Zaini Hassan under the topic ‘Azan, Jawi, JAIS, UiTM dan ba-alif-ba-ya’ that was published in Utusan Malaysia on Sept 10, 2008.

The three main questions that the investigation officers asked me were:

1. whether I have mobilised a group of residents at Bandar Kinrara to present a petition to oppose to the azan at the Bandar Kinrara mosque;

2. whether I have made a statement that 30 percent of the Selangor Islamic Department (JAIS) allocation is to be given to other non-Islam religious bodies; and

3. whether I have opposed to the Jawi-wording road signages in Kuala Lumpur.

I denied the first two accusations as I did not do any such things as accused. I also told them that the issue of opposing Jawi road signages in Kuala Lumpur were done in January/February 2008 at the request and following the pressure of resident associations.

The resident associations, particularly in Taman Seputeh, were most unhappy because many of the road signages were changed arbitrarily by DBKL a few months before and changed again soon after, this time with Jawi wordings. They were strongly opposed to this kind of wastage of public funds by DBKL.

I was quite surprised that there were no other questions posed to me besides these few main questions.

The ISA is meant to detain people who threaten national security. The three issues stated above have nothing to do with national security. If the police wanted to carry out investigation on me, they can always ask me to give statements in any of the police station and there was absolutely no need to detain me under the ISA for seven days. This is a phenomenal abuse of the power of police under the ISA.

Besides, it is nonsensical for the police to detain me under the ISA merely based on the unsubstantiated article written by an irresponsible columnist in Utusan Malaysia. How can they regard that article as the gospel truth without investigating the writer in the first place? How can Utusan Malaysia publish it without verifying the facts?

I wish to ask the police whether they have called Zaini and Utusan Malaysia’s editors for questioning before and after my detention.

I know that the imam of Bandar Kinrara mosque has publicly denied that I was involved in the Puchong residents petition against azan of his mosque on Sept 13. I am also quite surprised to read in the New Straits Times dated Sept 19 that the official of the Bandar Kinrara mosque was called by the Dang Wangi police for statement recording only yesterday afternoon.

Why did the police do it so late, one week after I was arrested? Why didn’t they check their facts first before they arrest me and put me behind bars?

I see my detention as a ploy by Umno to try to cover up the embarrassment and the outrage of the racist statements made by (ex-Bukit Bendera Umno division chief) Ahmad Ismail in Penang. I wonder why did they choose an innocent person like me as I have never made any racist statements or racist speeches in the past?

I have lodged the police report on Sept 17, 2008 against Utusan Malaysia, Zaini and Dr Mohd Khir Toyo for criminal defamation. I would therefore urge the police to investigate Utusan Malaysia’s editors, those racist bloggers and Khir Toyo under the Penal Code.

As I have mentioned in my previous lawyer’s visit, I will sue Utusan Malaysia, Zaini and Khir Toyo. I have also instructed my lawyers to sue the Malaysian government for my unlawful arrest and detention.

As I am free from ISA detention today, I also call for the release of Raja Petra Kamarudin, the Hindraf Five and all other 60 over detainees under the draconian ISA.

I would also like to thank all politicians in the ruling parties as well as in the Pakatan Rakyat, NGOs, churches and all social organisations who have campaigned and prayed for my release.

TERESA KOK
Seputeh MP
Selangor senior exco
Kinrara state assemblyperson

@ teresakok.com

PM Said “No” To Anwar ~ malaysiakini

As expected, the Prime Minister has rejected Datuk Seri Anwar’s call for an emergency Parliament session. So the next step is for the Pakatan Rakyat to request for a session with the King.

PM rejects ‘no confidence’ session
Beh Lih Yi & Fauwaz Abdul Aziz | Sep 18, 08 6:15pm

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today rejected a call by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim for an emergency Parliament session to debate a no-confidence motion.

- Abdullah: No further ISA arrests
- Council notes Muhyiddin’s concerns

read more @

Letter To PM

This is Pakatan Rakyat’s official letter to the Prime Minister. In Datuk Seri Anwar’s press conference yesterday, he said : “We can’t very well say we want to topple you.”

Maybe the letter should have been more blunt instead and mentioned “We have to meet. I’m taking over the premiership by this week.” HAHAHA

Anwar Dares Abdullah To Parliament ~ malaysiakini

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dares Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad to re-convene Parliament session next Tuesday if he really wants to see the list MPs who has turned their back on BN. This move was taken after the Prime Minister spoke publicly that he will not entertain Datuk Seri Anwar for a meeting to discuss transition plan.

Anwar seeks emergency House session
Sep 18, 08 2:27pm

Opposition Leader leader Anwar Ibrahim today said he has sent a letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi asking him to convene an emergency session of the Parliament for an emergency motion to debate on the premier’s government.

- Letter sent to PM today
- Hold it no later than Tuesday

Minute-by-minute report :

1406: The press conference is about to start.

1419: The room is filled the loud chattering of several dozen media personnel present. The media conference has not yet started.

1422: The press conference gets underway. Anwar clarifies that the letter he sent to the PM used diplomatic language such as ensuring national security, “We can’t very well say we want to topple you.”

1426: Anwar says a letter has been sent to the PM asking him to convene an emergency sitting of Parliament. It warrants an immediate response. Any delay would be interpreted as sabotage of the democratic process.

1429: Anwar has met key fund managers and they told him they wanted to see comprehensive reforms: judificial reforms, free media, investor-friendly policies, a professional police force. The current administration has done nothing to advance these reforms.

1431: ”There is no reason for me to be arrested under the ISA,” says Anwar. “We have a major economic crisis… it is therefore important for them to think of the nation and not for themselves. This is now a minority government. The majority of MPs are now with us.”

1433: If this is rejected, Anwar says Pakatan will call an urgent meeting to discuss their options. “It is critical for the PM to respond.”

1436: What is required of the PM is for him to know that we have the majority. He can find out if Anwar is telling the truth by convening Parliament.

1438: The MPs want Anwar to give a guarantee that they will be allowed to attend Parliament safely on Tuesday.

1440: He explains why they can’t wait for Parliament to convene on 13 Oct. He says the country is in a state of a political and economic flux and there is a need to resolve this quickly.

1443: “Tuesday is the critical date,” says Anwar. “I said we have the list of names, we want to share the list with the PM, failing which we will go to Parliament. You want me to reveal the list and let them be harassed?”

@ anilnetto.com

And finally, the official statement :

Call for Emergency Session of Parliament by September 23
By Anwar Ibrahim 49 Comments

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 18 SEPTEMBER 2008

Today Pakatan Rakyat leaders have submitted a letter to the Prime Minister requesting him to call an emergency session of Parliament to deliberate a motion of censure against the leadership of YAB Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi no later than Tuesday 23 September 2008.

This is in accordance with Order 11(3) of the Standing Orders of Parliament and warrants an immediate response given the gravity of today’s political impasse. A delay in his response would be interpreted as nothing short of a further sabotage of the democratic process and abuse of Executive Power.

The Prime Minister’s haggling on the syntax of our first letter is puerile at best. The intent of our meeting as described in that letter was clearly to discuss the future course of the nation’s leadership – though in deference to his position and in accordance with acceptable norms we remain considerate and polite in our approach.

I find the Prime Minister’s comment about me in his press conference yesterday to be reckless and irresponsible in light of the disastrous outcome of last Friday’s ISA raids.

He has conflated what is essentially an issue of democracy, freedom and the rule of law with national security. The use of the ISA to harass and detain duly elected political opponents is a grave transgression of the law and its continued use would further erode confidence in the current government and exacerbate political instability.

As the incumbent Prime Minister actively holding office and exercising all Executive powers, and as the outgoing Finance Minister, we hold him fully accountable for the current political turmoil and mismanagement of the nation’s economy. His accusation that I have had an adverse impact on the nation’s economy is entirely without basis.

I have met with the key fund managers in the region, representing over USD 1 trillion in assets, and on multiple occasions they were unanimously in support of comprehensive reforms in Malaysia including judicial independence, a free media, a more professional police force and anti-corruption agency, investor friendly laws and assurances on the non-interference of politicians in the governance of Bank Negara. These are policies Pakatan Rakyat has promised to implement– and initiatives that the current administration has done virtually nothing to advance since March 8th.

ANWAR IBRAHIM
Leader of Opposition
De-facto leader, Keadilan

@ anwaribrahimblog.com

SAPP To Join Pakatan Rakyat

Yes, they will join Pakatan Rakyat, but only when the new government has been announced. In the mean time, they will stay as independent.

I expect to see more MPs or parties will come out from the closet with this cue to start the domino effect for a New Malaysia. The MPs don’t have to join any 3 of the Pakatan Rakyat parties, just leave BN as independents.

With this pullout, BN are left with only 137 seats in the parliament. Pakatan Rakyat have 81 seats, with 3 independent MPs. Another seat (Pensiangan of Sabah) is currently vacated pending a hearing.

SAPP pulls out of Barisan

KOTA KINABALU: Finally rebellious Sabah Progressive Party has pulled out of Barisan Nasional after a four-hour supreme council meeting.

Except for two opposing the move, 30 of the 32 who attended Wednesday’s meeting backed party chief Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

Yong said his party will remain independent but will work with anyone and be in consultation with various parties including Pakatan Rakyat.

“We are not applying to join Pakatan Rakyat until the time comes when SAPP is ready to be back in government,” he told reporters Wednesday after chairing the meeting at the party’s headquarters in Luyang here.

SAPP’s two MPs – Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun (Sepangar) and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau) – and two of its four assemblymen are with Yong. They are Melanie Chia (Luyang) and Datuk Liew Teck Chan (Likas).

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan, who is deputy president and Tanjung Papat assemblyman, with Elopura assemblymen Au Kam Wah have disassociated themselves from Yong.

Tan and SAPP vice-president Jimmy Wong opposed the pullout at the meeting while Au did not attend.

Walking out of the 2pm meeting half an hour before it ended at 5pm, Tan said that there was no proper basis to leave Barisan and the decision was not rational.

“I am from Sandakan and the signals from there are quite clear,” he said, adding that he would be meeting Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman to submit his resignation from the state cabinet.

Tan, who claimed that Au had resigned through a text message to Yong, said that he will be making a decision within the next 24 hours on his position in SAPP and whether he will be joining a Barisan component party or forming a new party.

When contacted, Au said that he has yet to tender his resignation letter and will announce what he intends to do on Thursday. SAPP joined Sabah Barisan Nasional in 1994.

@

SAPP, First To Jump Ship ?

It seems that SAPP is in the midst of embracing Pakatan Rakyat’s offer to join them for the future of Sabah & her people. Never before have we seen leaders from a BN component party getting involved openly in a programme with the opposition party. This is truly a new dawn, never mind that Mission : 3P has been put on hold till the end of the week.

Hmm, notice the camaraderie between YB Lim Kit Siang & YB Eric Majimbun in the last picture ? Friends or foe are they nowadays ?

Tomorrow will also be the day SAPP to decide their position in the BN.

Malaysia Towards A New Era

KOTA KINABALU, Tue. (Sept 16) – A forum organised by DAP Sabah, entitled “Malaysia Towards A New Era” held on Tuesday (16 Sept) from 1pm to 5pm, at Kian Kok Secondary School Hall was attended by more a thousand people. Guest speakers included Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee, Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim and Datuk Dr Jeffery Kitingan. Forum moderator was Dr Oh Ei Sun.

Mr Lim Kit Siang, the DAP’s advisor did the closing speech. Organising chairman was Dr Hiew King Chew.

@ sapp.org.my

Here’s another program involving SAPP & Pakatan Rakyat :

FORUM ON : AFTER PERMATANG PAUH, IS 916 AN OPPORTUNITY OF CHANGE ?
Date : September 10, 2008
Venue: KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
Organised by:
- Youth Section of The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
- The Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)
- Empower (Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor)

Talk by Datuk Richard Yong We Kong (Secretary-General, Sabah Progressive Party)

Read all about it @ sapp.org.my

916 : A New Dawn For Malaysia ~ malaysiakini

Today Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has promised to deliver a new dawn to all Malaysian who yearned for a better Malaysia. In the morning, he will try to arrange a meeting with Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

From what I’ve heard, he will discuss a smooth & peaceful hand-over of the government. Anwar will hand to the Prime Minister a list of the BN MP’s who have given their support for a change of government. Not just from Sabah & Sarawak, but also including some MP’s from the peninsular. Word is some Ministers have also given their consent. With the publishing of the list, the Prime Minister should gracefully accept his fate & make an announcement of the news.

In the afternoon, there will be a press conference from the Pakatan Rakyat.

This is from the rally at Kelana Jaya just now.

Anwar: We’re ready to form new gov’t
Sep 15, 08 10:10pm

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim told a 20,000-strong rally that he had the numbers to form a new government tomorrow and wants to meet with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss a handover.

“Tonight on the eve of Malaysia Day, we are ready to form the government tomorrow,” he said to loud cheers from the jubilant crowd.

“We have the numbers to defeat BN,” he said. “Tomorrow is D-day, we are ready to form the government.”

According to him, Pakatan Rakyat has submitted a letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today seeking a meeting for a smooth transition of power.

“Tomorrow, we are ready. But the best time, I tell you, is when we have met the prime minister. A peaceful transition is paramount,” he added, indicating that there will be no change of government tomorrow as he had promised earlier.

The opposition leader also did not provide more information on how many MPs Pakatan has in the bag and the number of government defectors.

Anwar will need at least 31 defectors from BN and perhaps over 40 for a stable Pakatan government.

“I believe that the government will fall in the next few weeks,” he told journalists after the rally.

The massive crowd had earlier gathered at the Kelana Jaya stadium in Petaling Jaya to celebrate Pakatan’s ‘Hari Malaysia’ celebration.

ISA dragnet slammed

Anwar, who began his 45-minute speech at 10.45pm, also emphasised the importance of Sabah and Sarawak to Malaysia.

He also criticised the ruling Barisan Nasional for pursuing a divide-and-rule agenda at the expense of the two east Malaysian states.

“This is the first time ever a celebration of this scale is being held to recognise that we are one – that Sabah and Sarawak are part of Malaysia,” Anwar told the crowd.

He added that he would declare Sept 16 a national holiday when he takes over the government.

Anwar also slammed the Abdullah-led government of practising racial politics, which he said led to the ISA arrests of three people.

He urged the majority Malays not to be swayed by BN policies.

“The Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) benefitted only the rich and elite Malays, not you,” he said.

Most of those in the crowd are there in the belief that PKR leader Anwar would make an important announcement tonight on the formation of a new government, which Anwar has repeatedly claimed he would do by tomorrow.

High expectation

Earlier Anwar entered the venue at 9.40pm to wild chants of ‘Reformasi!’ and ‘Merdeka’.

Many Pakatan leaders were already at the venue, most of them also believing that Anwar would make an important announcement at the rally.

Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, when asked if there would be a surprise announcement, merely said: “Wait for Anwar”.

Guan Eng and DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang had earlier entered the stadium to loud cheers.

Many people on the ground whom Malaysiakini spoke to also expressed confidence of an impending change.

“He may reveal the first batch of defectors and maybe on how they will approach the king.

“I think they will wrap it up and form a new government by the end of this month,” said retiree G Maniam.

‘I am surprised at how fast things are changing,” said another Pakatan supporter at the stadium, Anthony Tong.

The 52-year-old accountant from Cheras said that he would not be disappointed even if Anwar managed to seize power by the end of this year.

@ malaysiakini.com

Report from the field :
@ themalaysianinsider.com
@ thestar.com.my
@ anilnetto.com
@ sloone.wordpress.com
@ kl-perth-brisbane.blogspot.com
@ malaysiacity.wordpress.com
@ kerabubersuara.blogspot.com