KUALA LUMPUR: A former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee who shared the same cell with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the 1970s said he is troubled by the changes he now sees in the former deputy prime minister.

President of the Malaysian Muslim Solidarity Movement (MMSM) Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad, who was detained under the ISA with the Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader in 1974, said the Anwar he knew then was different from the one today.

Zulkifli, who recalls Anwar reciting the Quran while clad in a singlet and leaning against the wall in their cell, said he had admired the former student leader for his passion to protect the rights and religion of Malays.

"I had known him since 1972, when we were student leaders at Universiti Malaya.

"My views today are not politically influenced as I am not an Umno member. But, as a voter (and former colleague), I see changes in Anwar which I don't think will benefit Malays and Islam," he said at the MMSM office here yesterday.
Zulkifly said the "old" Anwar always talked about the importance of protecting Malays and discussed ways of helping the race and Islam.

"But now, he is quoted as saying that once PKR comes into power, it will abolish the New Economic Policy (NEP) and implement merit-based policies which reject the quota system for Malays in the economy, education and politics.

"His policies are not relevant to Malays and Islam."

Zulkifli said the NEP was needed by Malays and it could benefit the race if it was transparently and fairly managed.

"I admit that some abuse of the NEP has occurred and that it has been wrongly implemented."

However, he said it was unfair to punish Malays as a whole, for the faults of a few, by abolishing the NEP.

He also voiced his fear that Malays would share the same fate as native Americans in the United Sates if their rights were sidelined.

"Should this happen, Malays will be like the native Americans in the next 10 to 20 years."