THE Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hurled harsh criticism at leaders who played on racial sentiments but at the same time did not share the wealth with the people, but netizens are criticising him for targeting only rich Malays.
In his speech at the Malaysian Madani Open House in Penang yesterday (May 6), the Pakatan Harapan chairman challenged leaders who amassed wealth while in power to prove their intentions by handing over half of their wealth to the Malays, who are said to be still poor and marginalised.
“I hope this matter comes to an end. How much wealth? RM10 bil, RM15 bil? Is it true that you want to help, to be a fighter, to save the Malays? What you say (that) give to the Malays,” he said.
While his target was the group of Malay leaders who are ganging together to create what they call ‘Malay unity’, netizens said he should also ask rich Chinese businessmen to do the same, that is to help the poor.
User @__pul__ on Twitter said:
Tak payahkan Pembesar / Tun / Tan Sri yang kaya itu, sepatutnya sesiapa yang Kaya Raya sewaktu Malaysia ‘berduit’ tahun 1980an – 1990an dulu pun perlu tolong Melayu. Mereka la Pembeli Tanah berelong relong di kala Harga Tanah masih murah dulu. 😋 Itu baru tanah, belum Aset Tunai.
— ALERT⚠️🚨 MINUM AIR 🍉🍉 (@__pul__) May 6, 2023
“Not only the rich, Pembesar/Tun/Tan Sri, anyone who became rich when Malaysia was ‘rich’ in the 1980s – 1990s should help the Malays.
“They are the land buyers going back and forth when land prices were still cheap. That’s just about land, we are not talking of cash assets yet.”
Another user supports this idea.
User @anas1504 added:
Why are talking only the malays? Why cant we say ‘the super rich malaysians’ should learn to give back in terms of business, employment, charity, education etc. 2023, we need to stop the race card issues. Move on as a nation and together we can achieve greatness
— Anas Pawan Chik (@anas1504) May 6, 2023
Meanwhile, user @PembeliAdab12 said Anwar should stop attacking the Malay rich only.
Yg dia berani desak takat ni pon baru Syed Mokhtar ja🤧. Taukey gula no 1 bila lagi?
— Mu Ammar (@PembeliAdab12) May 6, 2023
“He is only brave to attack Syed Mokhtar. What about the no. 1 sugar businessman? When (will he tackle)?
Nevertheless, elaborating on his allegations, Anwar said that leaders who have power often amass wealth for themselves and their relatives.
“But when they are no longer in power, they play the rhetoric of wanting to help and save the Malays.
“That’s why I said don’t use power to enrich relatives, then rich relatives, and (when) they lose power, talk about Malay life and want to save Malays.” — May 7, 2023
Main photo credit: The Star
