From Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail

WHO ARE THE PATRIOTS?

My family and I appreciate very much the moral support shown by ASEAN and APEC leaders for my husband Anwar Ibrahim.

I do not regard the mere expression of support for Anwar and his cause as interference in the internal affairs of Malaysia. Every government has the right to comment on what is happening in some other part of the world. Moreso now than ever,with the interdependence of the borderless economies. In fact,the Malaysian government itself has often commented on political and economic development in the United States, Britain, Bosnia, South Africa and other places.

However, the Reformasi Movement in Malaysia is fully cognisant of the fact that the guest for more democratic Malaysia is the responsibility and duty of Malaysian. It is up to the Malaysian themselves to bring about the changes and reforms needed, without any fear of favour. This is a point that had always been emphasised by Awar in his speeches before he was arrested under the ISA. It is because Malaysian want change and can no longer tolerate authoritarianism and corruption that they are clamouring for 'reformasi.'

Government leaders and the controlled media should not try to discredit 'reformasi' by giving the impression that it is part some foreign agenda. The tens of thousand  of Malaysians who have been demonstrating peacefully and participating in various public infromation campaigns are the real Malaysian partiots. They are much more patriotic than individuals who swindle the people of their money or build luxurious places for themselves at the expense of the rakyat. The Reformasi leaders love the country enough not to appoint foreign corporation, Salomon Smith Barney as financial adviser to the government. The Anwar crisis has shown to the world who are the real patriots and who are the traitors. And for that, the greatest regards are due to the Malaysian public who has shown much wisdom and self-restraint in giving the clearest of signals to the present government leadership.