Anwar should relinquish opposition leader's post: Rais

From: OngBak3
Subject: Anwar should relinquish opposition leader's post: Rais
(Bernama) -- Information Communication and
Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim supports a call that Datuk
Seri Anwar Ibrahim should relinquish the Opposition leader's post as
he is facing a sodomy trial.

Rais said there were precedence as cabinet ministers and senior civil
servants resigned when they were charged in court.

"From the rule of law and basic rights considerations, whether one is
a member of parliament, a cabinet minister and a civil servant, one
should resign.

"A suggestion that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should do likewise not
only fulfil the legal consideration but also the principles behind his
struggle as he had been advocating social justice and a civil
society," Rais told reporters after launching the "TMpoint on Wheels",
a Telekom Malaysia mobile counter, here today.

He was commenting on views expressed by a lecturer in Utusan Malaysia
that Anwar should relinquish the Opposition leader's post, which could
be filled by either PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang or DAP
adviser Lim Kit Siang as the Parti Keadilan Rakyat de-facto leader
would be bogged down by court proceedings.

"I agree with the views. Now that he (Anwar) is in a quandary, I
believe he should think and find a way out to diffuse the situation
and resign. But it is not easy and it is up to him," said Rais