Anwar won't retire, to highlight electoral fraud

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed that he is not ready to quit politics just yet despite having earlier said that he might retire to a teaching job in Europe if Pakatan fails to gain power in the 13th General Election.

Instead, the PKR de facto leader vowed to devote his time energy to combat electoral fraud, which he insisted had marred the GE13.

“Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Election Commission (EC) had chosen to ignore the wishes of the rakyat at their own peril despite their earlier pronouncements towards free and fair election,” said Anwar in a press statement.

Anwar said that the EC therefore should be held responsible for “being complicit in the worst electoral frauds in our history.”

The fight for a clean and fair election, he said, was the single most important fight that any Malaysians should relate to.

Anwar was referring to the movement spearheaded by the yellow-themed electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0, which has managed to draw crowds of thousands to demonstrate across Malaysia calling for free and fair elections.

On polling day yesterday, numerous allegations of fraud-- including phantom voters mainly said to be foreigners, and the possibility of double voting with indelible ink that was easily washed off— emerged as more than 10 million Malaysians came out to vote.

“ I will devote my time and utmost energy to work with BERSIH and the people of Malaysia to ensure that a newly constituted and independent Election Commission shall be in place as soon as possible to rectify the electoral frauds,” said Anwar’s statement.

He highlighted the fact that Pakatan Rakyat won the popular votes by a large margin (50.3%, compared to BN’s 46.8%), and said that this “confirms the mandate given to us”.

“Our conscience cannot allow us to accept election results conjured through frauds and cheating. My heart is with every Malaysian who does not accept the results.”

Anwar, who would address Malaysians on Wednesday in Petaling Jaya, said that he would continue to question the legitimacy of the BN’s government achieved through such electoral frauds.

Meanwhile, BN and Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who has defended his Rembau parliamentary seat, called on Anwar to cease his mission to question the electoral process.