Najib ceding to Umno hawks over court appeals, says Pakatan
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak is “painting himself into a corner” with the government’s latest court pursuit of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Karpal Singh, in what Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders say were moves designed to placate the hardliners in Umno.
Yesterday, public prosecutors filed to appeal against Anwar’s high-profile acquittal from a charge of sodomy, the same day the Court of Appeal reversed Karpal’s acquittal from a sedition charge and ordered the latter to enter his defence.
Anwar and Karpal are senior leaders in the three-party opposition PR bloc. Anwar is seen to be Najib’s political arch-foe in their scramble for Putrajaya in the next elections.
In Malaysia, the Attorney-General has sole discretion on prosecutions, but Najib’s Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which has held power for over 50 years, is seen to wield much influence on the bureaucracy.
“Najib has given up the opportunity to move on and engage the middle ground. By giving up other vote banks, he is narrowing his appeal and painting himself into a corner,” DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong told The Malaysian Insider…..Read more
That’s why on 9th January I was sceptical because I know that was only Round 1. BN always set up Round 1 sandiwara to con the rakyat and give temporary joy to the rakyat, this is cruel indeed. There will always be Round 2. Never trust BN.