'ANWAR SERVES ZIONIST INTERESTS'

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's support for Israel's security efforts is a signal to the Zionist regime and the United States that he is their man.

With Malaysia's general election nearing, Anwar is trying to gain the backing of powerful countries in order to come to power, although he has to go against his party's struggle for human rights.

Former Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president Dr Chandra Muzaffar said Anwar's statement to The Wall Street Journal sent a clear message that he was in favour of US lobbyists and Zionist interests.

"Anwar understands that for the US, as far as Arab-Israel conflict is concerned, defending Israel matters most. And he knows that US lobbyists judge other countries' leaders based on their stand on the conflict.

"By coming out with such a statement, furthermore in an interview with the The Wall Street Journal, which is owned by Zionist media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Anwar is telling them that he is a man whom they can depend on," Chandra told the New Straits Times yesterday.

He said Anwar's statement showed that in order to gain support, he was willing to sacrifice PKR's idealism.

"His statement is a total contradiction to justice. Why is he supporting the security of the oppressor (Israel) instead of supporting the real victims (Palestinians)? Israel is perhaps the fourth strongest military power in the world with hundreds of nuclear warheads and the regime's security should not have been Anwar's concern."

Chandra said Pas was willing to set aside its struggle for the sake of taking over Putrajaya.

"After Anwar issued his remarks, there was no official statement from Pas top leaders over their stand.

"They might be embarrassed with Anwar's statement, but are not willing to go against him in order to keep the opposition pact intact. In order to come to power, they are willing to place their party's original struggle second and keep mum."

Universiti Utara Malaysia political analyst Dr Mohd Azizuddin Sani said Pas leaders' "silence" was aimed at remaining in Anwar's good books.

"Anwar has a very strong influence over Pas and DAP. This influence, which we call Anwarisme, is so strong that he is even able to change people's stand. Pas has been seeing shifts in their struggles. They are also willing to sacrifice their stand for the sake of getting support from PKR and DAP." Additional reporting by Hariz Mohd NST