Malaysia went to extraordinary length in Turkey to support the case against Anwar but as expected, the battle of words continued between Malaysia and its biggest economic partner the United States of America over the Anwar Ibrahim sodomy allegations. This time Malaysia boasted that about its powers to shrug off the US from its back in no uncertain terms.

"After a certain point, if they keep interfering with the internal affairs of other countries, then the US has got to answer to the big question of responsibility and whether they have the jurisdiction to do that, as powerful as they may be," Rais Yatim, Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Minister said.

It is with a seeming vengeance that Rais Yatim attacked the US in Singapore on the sideline of the recently concluded Asean meeting in the tiny country state. The stage was set for a battle of influence by Rais Yatim who spilled the beans against US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

In different circumstances, the anti-US stance taken by Malaysia would have been cheered by the entire Muslim world but when it is Anwar Ibrahim, the most popular Malaysian figure inside and outside the country, the cold shudder by Muslim nations is felt.

Malaysia went out in full length with its Ambassador in Turkey claiming that the Anwar Ibrahim police case was purely a matter of law, denying it was a political issue. This shows how hurtful it is for the moment for the Malaysians to deal such blows to the opposition leader.

Reactions from Turkey are mild, with many people believing there is a repetition of the first sodomy case against Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.

Anwar still have the moral support of the Turkish government – though much of it is in private – and this may have been the reason for the Malaysian Ambassador in Ankara to make the statement regarding Anwar’s case to the Turkish people.

In an interview with the Anatolia news agency, Anuar said the Malaysian government clearly demonstrated that the issue was entirely a legal one. When reminded of the speculations that some circles in Malaysia argue that Anwar is innocent and a plot had been hatched against him, the ambassador said there was no conspiracy and that the issue was taken up in accordance with the principle of the rule of law.

The US dismisses the point that Malaysia is doing everything according to the principles of the rule of law. The comments on this issue from Condoleezza Rice offended the Malaysian Foreign Affairs Minister.

Rice Thursday urged Malaysia to ensure a "transparent" investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against Anwar -- the same charge that saw him jailed a decade ago.

"Whatever others say from outside Malaysia is irrelevant. Ultimately it is the decision of Malaysians that will be counted in this case," Rais Yatim told AFP.

A close study of the situation in Malaysia shows a rather ballooning popularity for Anwar Ibrahim after the second sodomy allegation. Support is swelling for the PKR even in once forbidden areas such as Johor, Malacca and Pahang where the Barisan National (BN) did better than in other states.

"Anwar may have many friends overseas to prop him up for his image and for his present situation but Malaysia has its own laws and domestic constitution," he said.

"The US has got this larger-than-life image in assuming the position as policemen of the world. They want to project this all along but they have to stop interfering and making comments such as these," the Malaysian minister said.

The way Anwar Ibrahim was arrested and kept in jail for one night sufficed to inflame his supporters and send a wave of sympathy towards Anwar even from within the BN and among its supporters. It also discredited the Malaysian government’s image internationally.

There are fears that the Malaysian government will not be able to contain Anwar from continuing to cause more fracases to the reputation of the regime.

On Malaysian blogs, Anwar Ibrahim is the most popular political figure with almost every comment regarding the sodomy allegation turning against the regime of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. This was seen before during the 1998 allegations and court cases and the result was a tight electoral race in 1999 which was won by Tun Mahathir and the BN with a dented majority.

Anwar’s presence during the March 2008 General Elections had a devastating effect on the BN which lost its prized 2/3 majority and is now in danger of losing control of the Parliament if Anwar Ibrahim plans to take power becomes reality.

In the midst of the growing impatience among the public to see the cross-over of BN MP’s to the opposition to form a new government, came the sodomy allegation. It did not go down well with the public because the story was a repeat of the 1998 fracas that almost caused Malaysia to lose its reputation of being a peaceful and progressive nation.

Apparently failing to win sufficient support locally, Malaysia is pushing for its reputation on the international arena, battling the US and its accusations but taking in more accusation of grotesque behavior from international figures across the world.

The support enjoyed by Anwar does not stop with the local public alone but extends to a long list of personalities that has vouched their support on the integrity and innocence of Anwar Ibrahim. This is a big embarrassment for the government which seems more and more entangled in a web of self-destruction with the second sodomy allegations against its biggest opponent in the country.

It is possible, say supporters of Anwar Ibrahim; the former Deputy Prime Minister and once Prime Minister designated that the government is trying to slap the US on the sodomy allegations in order to gain support among Muslims in Malaysia. This amid the perception that the Muslims will be anti-American at all cost and that Anwar, seen by the government as an America stooge, will lose support and will fall automatically, silenced by the opposition of Muslims against his friendship towards the US.

This strategy gained momentum in December 1999 during the Elections but it did not prevent the opposition from making massive gains, which they eventually parted with in 2004 when Abdullah Badawi drove the opposition away from almost every corner of Malaysia.

Will it work this time? It is clear from responses in the country that the anti-American stance will not result in a loss of support for Anwar. Thus it is not presumptuous to claim that the anti-Anwar bashing has only just started and that more is to come.

In the mean time, the Malaysian public and the foreign observers will have to sit back and fill their plate with peanuts in order to watch the second round of what many are calling ‘Liwat Gate’ or ‘Sodomy Gate’ in Malaysia.

Comments (4)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments

I don't understand.
written by randomtask, July 26, 2008

Why do you say the criticism of the US government's officials' statements is some kind of political ploy to take away support from Anwar?

The simple fact is that Anwar Ibrahim is a party in an investigation of an allegation that has neither been proven or disproven. The statements made by those US officials are made with the clear assumption that the allegations are baseless and that they are therefore political in nature. It should be clear to any thinking person as to why any government would be annoyed and critical of such remarks, irregardless of whether a guilty result would be expedient or not. Such statements on a case whose investigation hasn't even been concluded would inevitably cast doubt on any guilty verdict, irregardless of how strong or weak the evidence would be.

Would this be just? Would it be in line with Muslim conduct and Islamic jurispudence to condone such actions?

precedence
written by zakiri, July 26, 2008

There has been a terrible precedence in the recent past, a decade ago, of such occurances in Malaysia where Anwar was proven guilty beyond doubt despite conflicting statements, records of events and the constant changing of dates of events in Malaysian courts.
Once bitten, twice shy...goes the saying.
What happened 10 yrs ago does not show anything that is "Islamic" by way of jurisprudence or legal by way of the existing system of justice in Malaysia.
The other factor is that Anwar is very much accepted by all parties - except the BN - and that weighs heavily in his favor.
It remains clear that the Malaysian authorities did wrong in many ways in handling of the present 'allegations'. Don't forget too that there are tons of other allegations that we hear about and that are still 'pending', without any investigations being carried out.
All these lend to the belief that Malaysia is playing politics with the Anwar issue. There is no case yet but the authorities are behaving as if the 'case' must be won in the press first before it goes to court. Again...we see trial by the press!
All these has nothing to do with the good Islamic principles, do they?

re - i dont understand
written by Kazi Mahmood, July 26, 2008

Good question. The answer is as good as that. Why argue that much with the US on this issue while the Malaysian authorities remained virtually silent - minus some remarks to the US State Secretary - when the US was attacking Malayia's PM Abdullah Badawi on the Oil for Food scandal and also on the Scomi issues? These are old issues but then they are as important as the Anwar issues.

This shows a change in the Malaysian policies - foreign indeed - and we just want to know why this sudden change? Is it because there is something wrong with the allegation against Anwar Ibrahim?

Any means to take away popular support from the PKR leader will definitely be of help to the Malaysian authorities in pursuing the case, dont you think so?

A tough issue to crack....if you ask me, dear Randomtask...we are as much interested to know why this sudden anti-US situation. We are not pro-US by any means and if you visit us regularly, you will see how we attack Washington and the Bush regime...but then Malaysia could have played a much bigger role to confront the US on issues that would have made this country a 'hero' in the Muslim world!

Thanks for your posting..come again!

Yours

Editor

at all cost
written by xymax, July 26, 2008

defending the case against anwar at all cost vis a vis the americans also indicates the malaysian government is on the defensive...the question is y so much pain is taken to be on the defensive on an issue which the government claim is not political at all?

If they take the advise of people like Lee Kuan Yew, who would not fight against the US so much on issues pertaining to human rights and so on in Singapore, but would issue a simple statement and finish with it, this would have raised the probability that the Malaysian authorities are right in their claims. Since they are doing otherwise, it raises more doubts. Yet they can't figure it out, can they?

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment