OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim slammed government ministers tonight for ‘unashamedly’ accepting tens of thousands of ringgit in salaries while leaving the poor helpless.

In a Malacca elections campaign speech livestreamed on Facebook, the Port Dickson MP said the ministers and their deputies were already well off, but wanted higher salaries and positions.

“The biggest cabinet with more than 70 portfolios, their salaries are more than RM50,000 a month not including other allowances.”

“Those dressed in robes (jubah), coats, neckties or even baju Melayu are all the same. What they want is just a high salary, and do not even ask why their salaries are very high.”

“They were also given official cars. Not one but two. They only scramble for positions… that is what they do,” he said during the 30-minute speech, while speaking about the federal leadership of the country.

The Malacca state election is on Saturday.

Anwar said he had rejected the offer from the government to upgrade his opposition leader status to ministerial-level.

He explained that it would be unbecoming of him to accept the offer when the people are struggling to survive.

“I was surprised to see the salary, which was high. I do not want it, I told the PM. They gave me an office, which was an old office… that is okay with me, and a meeting room, which I accepted.

“But to give me the salary and two official cars, for me, it is too much. How do we face the people when many of them are depending on food banks (for their survival)?” he asked.

On the election in Malacca, Anwar said only Pakatan Harapan (PH) could bring stability in the state as Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional could not guarantee steadiness.

“Neither BN nor PN, both cannot guarantee stability. They are one government at the federal level but fighting each other in Malacca. How can there be stability at the federal level?

“As for us, we have had our own experience, experience about betrayal, and we know that this would not happen again.”

“Only PH can bring stability in Malacca and, god willing, we will be able to bring stability for the people in Malacca,” he declared. – November 16, 2021.