BERSATU legal bureau deputy head Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif today alleged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his ruling coalition were systematically targeting their political opponents.

She said the government was using enforcement bodies to act against opposition leaders, the latest being Putrajaya MP Radzi Jidin.

She said the government was initiating criminal investigations of opposition leaders to distract the public from the government’s weaknesses, including the recent discharge of Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Referring to Radzi’s case, Sasha said his ordeal began on Tuesday in parliament when Anwar accused him of corruption.

She said this was followed by a slew of messages online claiming the former education minister was involved in graft linked to a book printing project for preschoolers.

Sasha said it was too much of a coincidence that two days after Anwar accused Radzi, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested Radzi’s former aide for alleged corruption.

“This chronology is important and astounding. It suggests the systematic targeting and hounding by enforcement bodies of political opponents of the prime minister and his political coalition.

“It is irrational, unrealistic and laughable to suggest the swift and sudden moves by MACC and Anwar’s political allies from Wednesday to Friday against Radzi are unconnected with the bitter spat with the PM on Tuesday.

“We urge the government of the day to stop this intimidation of opposition MPs and to stop abusing its powers by acting in concert with enforcement agencies to go after those not aligned with (the federal administration).

“Anwar and his government must focus on the troubles of the rakyat and create policies to make the rakyat’s life better, not spend their time in unlawful plots to run down the opposition,” she said in a statement.

Radzi’s former political secretary was remanded until tomorrow.

In a statement, Radzi said he and his wife were not involved in the printing of books nor the companies mentioned in the messages accusing him of impropriety. – September 25, 2023.