Wall Street Journal
Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has found something new to fight over with the country’s government: U.S. President Barack Obama’s message of congratulations to Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Mr. Obama called Mr. Najib on May 13 after his win in Malaysia’s parliamentary elections. Mr. Najib’s National Front coalition won 60% of the seats in the national parliament, although Mr. Anwar’s opposition alliance secured 51% of the popular vote on May 5 and is claiming that vote fraud tipped the balance in the government’s favor.
According to the White House, Mr. Obama “noted that Malaysians had
turned out in record numbers to vote and welcomed the Prime Minister’s
efforts to address concerns about election irregularities.” He also
discussed trade issues and other matters.
The Malaysian government late on Tuesday issued a statement saying that the U.S. President “expressed his understanding and acceptance of the process and results” of the May 5 polls.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, though, Mr. Anwar questioned whether the U.S. was fully aware of the vote-fraud allegations, and also pointed out that Malaysian government statements on calls between Mr. Najib and Mr. Obama sometimes differ from the accounts provided by the White House.
Referring to Mr. Obama, Mr. Anwar said, “I don’t think he is privy to the fact that there is this huge feeling and expression of anger and outrage against this mass rigging and fraud.” Mr. Anwar went on to say that the U.S. had recognized elections under late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines and under Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.
“So I think it is also important that the Americans be given the facts to objectively evaluate people,” Mr. Anwar said. “Do you accept the process when the media is not free? Do you accept the process when you cannot monitor the votes, where it went to? Do you accept the process when clearly the electoral list is compromised.”
A Malaysian government spokesman said the government’s account of Mr. Najib’s conversation with Mr. Obama was accurate. Mr. Najib previously has denied the opposition’s allegations of electoral fraud, as has Malaysia’s Election Commission. Some political analysts have also noted that decades of gerrymandering have given a strong voice to rural electoral districts that tend to favor government parties.
But the closeness of the election race and the vote-fraud allegations are raising temperatures across this influential, predominantly Muslim country of 28 million people. Tens of thousands of people packed into a sports stadium last Wednesday to hear Mr. Anwar detail his fraud allegations, many wearing black T-shirts bearing the date of the May 5 elections. Subsequent rallies have been held in other areas, including Penang and Perak states.
In an interview last week, Mr. Anwar said the opposition is gathering what he described as further evidence of election fraud that he intends to submit to the country’s Election Commission and local courts to try to force a re-run of the election in dozens of electoral district
Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has found something new to fight over with the country’s government: U.S. President Barack Obama’s message of congratulations to Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Mr. Obama called Mr. Najib on May 13 after his win in Malaysia’s parliamentary elections. Mr. Najib’s National Front coalition won 60% of the seats in the national parliament, although Mr. Anwar’s opposition alliance secured 51% of the popular vote on May 5 and is claiming that vote fraud tipped the balance in the government’s favor.
- President Barack Obama, shown at a recent news conference, called Prime Minister Najib Razak and ‘welcomed the prime minister’s efforts to address concerns about election irregularities,’ according to the White House.
The Malaysian government late on Tuesday issued a statement saying that the U.S. President “expressed his understanding and acceptance of the process and results” of the May 5 polls.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, though, Mr. Anwar questioned whether the U.S. was fully aware of the vote-fraud allegations, and also pointed out that Malaysian government statements on calls between Mr. Najib and Mr. Obama sometimes differ from the accounts provided by the White House.
Referring to Mr. Obama, Mr. Anwar said, “I don’t think he is privy to the fact that there is this huge feeling and expression of anger and outrage against this mass rigging and fraud.” Mr. Anwar went on to say that the U.S. had recognized elections under late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines and under Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.
“So I think it is also important that the Americans be given the facts to objectively evaluate people,” Mr. Anwar said. “Do you accept the process when the media is not free? Do you accept the process when you cannot monitor the votes, where it went to? Do you accept the process when clearly the electoral list is compromised.”
A Malaysian government spokesman said the government’s account of Mr. Najib’s conversation with Mr. Obama was accurate. Mr. Najib previously has denied the opposition’s allegations of electoral fraud, as has Malaysia’s Election Commission. Some political analysts have also noted that decades of gerrymandering have given a strong voice to rural electoral districts that tend to favor government parties.
But the closeness of the election race and the vote-fraud allegations are raising temperatures across this influential, predominantly Muslim country of 28 million people. Tens of thousands of people packed into a sports stadium last Wednesday to hear Mr. Anwar detail his fraud allegations, many wearing black T-shirts bearing the date of the May 5 elections. Subsequent rallies have been held in other areas, including Penang and Perak states.
In an interview last week, Mr. Anwar said the opposition is gathering what he described as further evidence of election fraud that he intends to submit to the country’s Election Commission and local courts to try to force a re-run of the election in dozens of electoral district
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