By Nathaniel Tan
I join the chorus ridiculing Anifah Amin’s statements in Washington (brought to my attention before it hit the press by a kind reader of this blog). I think Anil’s comments are appropriately scathing and incisive.
I would like to add how low brow it is to put down Opposition politicians in such a non-statesman like manner.
Here is the question and Hillary’s answer:
QUESTION: Opposition leader – or opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim faces charges again, and I believe a trial later this summer, on charges that the State Department itself in the annual human rights report said are politically motivated. Did you raise his case specifically in your meeting today?
And, Mr. Minister, if you would care to comment on that case and specifically on the American position that the charges against Mr. Ibrahim are politically motivated.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, with respect to the latter question, we raised rule of law issues and the larger questions concerning the institutional reforms that Malaysia has been pursuing. We’re on record as to our opinion as to that particular case, and I think that speaks for itself.
Non-committal and evasive yes, but also diplomatic and smart.
Anifah?
FOREIGN MINISTER ANIFAH: I’d like to address the comment on Anwar Ibrahim. You know, we have utmost faith in our judicial system. And recently, as late as a few days ago, the court has declared that the chief minister of a particular state which comes from the opposition as election of a chief minister which is a rulings against the government. And insofar as Anwar Ibrahim is concerned, (inaudible) he – we know him very, very well. And he has – more or less, what he has said, especially overseas, most of the things are untrue; for example, like the involvement of our honorable prime minister and the murder of a Mongolian citizen. And he has repeatedly said before the elections that he will provide evidence and yet, until today, he has not given anything.
And also just for the information of the audience here that, you know, he also said that he will form a government on 16 September and he has changed the dates many time. And he was trying to entice the members of parliament. And I was personally offered to jump into the oppositions and offered a very lucrative position, and also to be told it’s like a deputy prime minister. And these are not known to the world at large. And he has started, you know, trying to buy into other, you know, legislative members. And I think what he is doing – he has not accepted the result of what – the last elections. And we have lost five states and we willingly and accept the people’s verdict. And all the time we leave it to the people to decide, and which, on the other hand has not been able to accept.
And it’s also my concern and that of our government that it is what he has been doing overseas to tarnish the image of Malaysia, which impinge trade and indirectly and directly, you know, bring hardship to the people of Malaysia, which he said he’s very, very concerned about. And therefore, it is our wish and hope that he will respect the democratic system in Malaysia, which is very open and which, I think, we have conformed to the wish of the people. And we have repeatedly told him that if he believes that he is the rightful prime minister, or his party has been sidetracked, then it is – wait for the next election. And he has continuously gave wrong impressions and accused all the government officials of being corrupted, which is part and parcel of the system (inaudible). And the people have rejected him in Malaysia, and is a proof that he has not been able to accept.
What does he think this is? A by-election campaign in rural Perak? If I were him, and wanted to maintain a semblance of dignity, I would have said something like “Mr. Anwar is entitled to his opinions, but he does not speak for the whole of Malaysia. We have full confidence in our judicial system and the democratic process.” Keep it short and simple.
But, in a display of his lack of class, he decided to reveal just how frightened BN and Najib is in the eyes of the world - how all the international articles highlighting the possibility of Najib’s involvement in Altantuya’s murder have seriously undermined Malaysia’s standing in the world. (Najib still too chicken to sue; unlike Anwar, whose lawyers are kept very busy :P :)
Showing nervousness and weakness in international fora will not address this, only a freer and more open investigation into the murder and things like, I dunno, dissolving the Perak state assembly?
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It looks like Tian will actually have to testify in court that he did not bite a policeman :|
A real ‘terrorist’la this guy. Bite copsla, conspire to commit murder (with his car), etc…
I remember one of the very first activist-y things that I did, a lifetime ago. It was a march, perhaps anti-ISA, where I talked to a younger Yap Swee Seng, going on about how ridiculous it was that Tian was held under ISA: “Can you imagine him taking up a bazooka to try and overthrow the government? He’s too skinny!!”
Memorable words.
I hope this ridiculous charge is not another unscrupulous attempt to put our parliamentarians out of action, like YB Gobind.
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Ps- If you’d like to contact the author of the previous post on US Education, her e-mail is EeCheng_Ong[at]brown.edu
Pps- A commentator would like a point to his article on how Perak and Sept 16 are different.
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