Baru expresses regret that title was withdrawn when Anwar is under political pressure

KUCHING, Dec 5, 2014: Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has expressed regret that the title of "Datuk Seri" conferred on party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim was withdrawn by the Sultan of Selangor recently.

" To us, it is regrettable that the title is withdrawn at a time when political pressure is intensifying to discredit Anwar and the decision of the Federal Court on his appeal still pending," Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian said in a statement today.

 

File picture: Anwar Ibrahim (second right) with Baru Bian (right) and State PKR vice chairman See Chee How (3rd left)

"Nevertheless, we note with gladness that Anwar was unperturbed by the royal revocation, and accepted the news with good grace and dignity.

"It is characteristic of his commitment to the people of this country that he has pledged to continue to work for the good of Selangorians and Malaysians.

"Truly, what a person does for his country speaks more loudly than the titles attached to his name," Baru, who is also Ba'Kelalan state lawmaker, stressed.

He added:"Anwar has borne ordeals and humiliations far greater than the loss of a title - false accusations, persecution, imprisonment, stripping and beatings.

"These have not weakened his resolve, but quite the reverse. We are confident that the loss of this title will not have any deleterious effect on Anwar's fighting spirit because he knows that in the final reckoning, the titles attached to a person's name carry little weight in the eyes of the "One" who will judge us," Baru said.

He admitted that it is the prerogative of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to revoke the title of Datuk Seri which was bestowed on him by the Sultan's late father.

"Nevertheless, Anwar had not sought the title and it is within the Sultan's rights to take it back if he feels so strongly about the statements made by Anwar during the so-called MB crisis," he added.