Anwar Ibrahim turned on the screws on Barisan Nasional with his Putrajaya crusade by announcing that Pakatan Rakyat-held states plan to observe the annual Malaysia Day on Sept 16 a public holiday and celebrate the day like their East Malaysian counterparts.Speaking at a Permatang Pauh by-election victory thanksgiving ‘Merdeka Day’ dinner last night, the opposition leader said the public holiday would strengthen the solidarity between Malaysians in the Peninsular and those in Sabah and Sarawak.
While Aug 31 signifies then Peninsular Malaya’s freedom from British colonial masters, he pointed out that the Malaysia Day marks the birth of this country with the merger of Malaya with Sabah and Sarawak.
“From this year, the annual Merdeka Day celebrations on Aug 31 will continue and culminate on Sept 16, Malaysia Day, with a grand celebrations in all Pakatan Rakyat states.
“We will show to Sabahans and Sarawakians that we are with them to rejoice the birth of Malaysia as an independent, united and progressive country for all.
“We will show that no one would be sidelined, isolated or discriminated under Pakatan Rakyat rule,” the PKR de facto leader pressed home his message to some 2,000 people at the Seberang Jaya agricultural expo site, Penang.
He later said that he would bring the Sept 16 public holiday proposal to Pakatan-held states.
Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said his government plans to declare Malaysia Day a public holiday in the island state beginning next year.
Anwar added that should Pakatan take federal power, the coalition would make Sept 16 a national holiday.
More news at: Malaysiakini
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