'I did in six months what you could not in three years', Anwar tells Perikatan

KUALA TERENGGANU: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim came out swinging against his opponents last night who had been repeatedly calling him “useless” throughout the campaign for the six state elections.

In a ceramah here, the Prime Minister listed the failures of Perikatan Nasional’s three-year federal administration and its attempt to white wash its chequered track record by playing up Malay nationalist sentiments.

Perikatan parties, PAS and Bersatu, had come to power through a coup called the “Sheraton Move” in February 2020 which brought down the then Pakatan Harapan government.

Among these failures Anwar said was a decision not to fund the refurbishment and repair of quarters and equipment for police personnel involved in Eastern Sabah Security Command.

The Perikatan government had also increased special lottery draws to 22 times a year even though it touts itself as being pro-Islam, Anwar said.

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“The police and armed forces had asked for RM40mil but Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin replied and said there was no money,” he said referring to former Perikatan Prime Minister Muhyiddin.

But then he spent RM40mil to renovate the Sri Perdana official residence,” Anwar told a crowd of supporters from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan at Hiliran here on Wednesday (Aug 9) night.

Pakatan, which Anwar leads, and Barisan, were taking on Perikatan, led by Muhyiddin, in six state polls happening this weekend.

In Muhyiddin’s campaign speech in Terengganu, the Perikatan chairman repeatedly called Anwar “stupid” and accused him of not “doing anything for the public” after he got into office in November last year.

Refuting this, Anwar said he received the same RM40mil application from the police and armed forces and after verifying the amount needed with the Defence and Home Ministries, approved it.

“They (Perikatan) said they were already planning to do it but did not have time. They had three years to do it and they didn’t do it. I did it in six months.”

Despite PAS’ Islamist credentials, it still failed to reduce gambling when it was in power, Anwar said.

“When I was Opposition leader, I questioned them in parliament and PAS said it was not their decision.

“But you are in government. If they were still in government, there would still be 22 special draws.”