BANGI, 5 Apr: A study conducted by the University of Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) found that 80 percent of people in west coast states do not believe defamation cases against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
UMCEDEL Deputy Director, Amer Saifude Ghazali said that the states are Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca.
Amer explained that when the respondents were asked about the slander against Anwar, only 20 percent of them believed it to be true.
“The remaining 80 percent do not believe it at all, they (respondents) assume it as something deliberately invented,” he said.
He was responding to questions from the floor about Anwar Ibrahim’s reputation in a GE-13 seminar titled ‘Strengthening Democracy’ organised by the National University of Malaysia (UKM) School of History and Strategy at the Senate Room, Chancellor Hall, UKM today.
On the same issue Amer said that claims saying that Anwar is also an Opposition Leader with no calibre, no influence and whose era has ended, is rather surprising.
“I’m surprised that people say that he has no influence, his time has ended, he is not capable and so on, but why is the attack on Anwar done almost every day, from one case to another.
“But he (Anwar) is still able to lead. This matter should be addressed to know the truth behind the attacks on him,” he added.
