Give away half your wealth to the Malays to truly help them, Anwar tells past leaders

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Past leaders of the country should have fulfilled their position of trust with care and not just to enrich themselves or their relatives, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said the leaders concerned should share half their wealth with the Malays if they sincerely want to help the community.

"What was important was to handle the administration well and not to take advantage by committing theft and 'sakau' (Malay slang for "robbery")," he said in his speech during the Malaysia Madani Open House here at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Permatang Pauh here on Saturday (May 6).

He said past leaders have been harping on issues to "save the Malays" but only enriched themselves and their family members when they were in power.

"I would like to tell these Tuns and Tan Sris who are multi-billionaires – you have taken much of the country wealth, (now) give half of your wealth to the Malays

"I don't care if who you are – the RM10bil, RM15bil money that you have 'sakau' – if you really want to help the Malays, give away what you have taken," he said, adding that he hoped what he said would reach past leaders who have benefitted from the country's wealth through the years.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently filed a RM150mil defamation suit against Anwar over a speech he made at a PKR gathering in March.

The lawsuit was filed through Messrs Law Practice of Rafique at the Shah Alam High Court registry on Wednesday (May 3).

Dr Mahathir said the statements made by Anwar in his capacity as prime minister had a far more devastating effect than any other individuals in Malaysia.

He claimed that the defendant's defamatory statements had caused negative perception against him, marred his image as a statesman and a two-time prime minister, as well as his reputation as a politician and a respected leader in Malaysia and internationally.