Obama keeps mums over Anwar’s Sodomy 2
May 20, 2010
Obama’s Silence over Anwar’s Sodomy 2 Trial
by Terence Netto
The Obama administration’s silence over the trial for sodomy of Anwar Ibrahim drew flak yesterday from the Washington Post, second only to the New York Times as the voice of the liberal establishment in America.
In an article on the subject, the Post gave a cogent reason why the Obama administration’s silence is myopic given its stated policy of engaging with the Islamic world. In describing Anwar, 63, as the “leading advocate of democratic reform as an antidote to Islamic extremism”, the paper, a must read for movers and shakers in the Beltway, held that the Malaysian Opposition Leader was a “natural ally of the US”.
The Post described as “suspicious” the circumstances in which Anwar’s accuser, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 25, had come to frame his charges. “Two days before the alleged encounter, the man said, he met with Najib; the next day he phoned the national police chief. Before filing his complaint, he consulted with a close friend of Najib’s wife,” said the Post.
“When the accuser finally stepped forward, two days after the supposed sex, doctors could find no evidence of sodomy.”
The Post said Prime Minister Najib Razak was being courted by the Obama administration as a useful ally in the fight against nuclear proliferation, and on Iran and Afghanistan.
According to the newspaper, Obama had not raised the issue of Sodomy II in a meeting with Najib when the latter visited Washington last month, a visit the Post said was hailed by Malaysia’s pro-government media as an endorsement of Najib.
APCO’s lobbying successful
This opinion of the paper provides oblique support for the theory that the lobbying of APCO Worldwide, some time communications consultant to the Najib administration, was useful in gaining the Malaysian Prime Minister a strategic assist in Obama foreign policy-making circles.
Anwar is being arraigned by the powerful rights and privileges committee for arguments he made about the role of APCO in speeches in Malaysia’s Parliament in March. The Post contrasted the Obama administration’s silence with the attitude of the Clinton administration, whose vice-president Al Gore, had condemned the first sodomy trail in 1998.
The paper rounded off its report by calling Sodomy II an “ugly persecution”. Barack Obama’s election to the US presidency in November 2008 was widely hailed as America’s attempt to recover its stature in the world as advocate nonpareil of democracy and human rights after the aberrations of the Bush years.
But hardnosed observers of world affairs knew that the tests of whether he would drape US foreign policy with the mantle of idealism or resort to raison d’etat when it is expedient remained to be seen.
This Anwar apologist, Netto san must learn to accept the fact that Anwar is losing his influence in Washington DC. Administration officials accept the fact that under Malaysian law, sodomy is a crime and a sodomiser carries a social stigma that also spills over to his family.
Anwar’s anti-Jewish comments in Parliament too have caused him a number of friends in the Beltway who were supportive of his change agenda. The Obama Administration wants to genuinely work with Najib who is being perceived as a moderate reformist within UMNO on matters of mutual benefit to both countries such as trade and investment, terrorism and regional security. Like Washingtonian says, Mr Jarjis is doing his work in Washington as Malaysian Ambassador.
Ahmad Naim - May 20, 2010 at 3:57 pm
betul lah tu, obama dah sedar Anwar bersalah..sebagaimana karpal,lim kit siang, dan lain lain orang rapatnya.
kenapa mereka support Anwar? sebab manafaat politik diutamakan melebihi kebenaran.
leman - May 20, 2010 at 4:44 pm
The comedian ,M Zain of Labu & Labi fame , if he was alive today , would most certainly be of better humor to the Americans or should I say humor the Americans better , hence be remarkable as M’sian , US of A Ambassador instead of J.Jarjis with his absurd prototype antics.
To date , the only prototype dna engineering breakthrough that the Malaysian medical fraternity could offer to the world is the ingenious discovery of converting Tean into a Maureen.
Danildaud - May 20, 2010 at 5:04 pm
“According to the newspaper, Obama had not raised the issue ….I in a meeting with Najib when the latter visited Washington last month….hailed by Malaysia’s pro-government media as an endorsement of Najib.”
That is not the job of the President but that of his deputy. Dictates of diplomatic etiquette mean such issues would land in the lap of the deputy Joe Biden. Most meetings held behind close doors were with the deputy, Joe Biden. Have you not heard of the good cop bad cop routine??
Right now Obama is being forced to spend his political capital just to keep his party together. The Democrats are expected to lose control of both Houses come November which could make Obama a lame duck President for the remaining years of his presidency.
Furthermore, Malaysia has not changed much from the days when it was led by an anti-U.S. tin pot dictator prancing on the world stage like a proud peacock only to get stuffed by a wild boar.
Mr Bean - May 20, 2010 at 7:03 pm
You guys can be excused for thinking that Malaysia is the center of the universe. But it is nothing more than a puny state in one corder of southeast Asia struggling with nation building issues and oppressing its people. Few people in the west know where Malaysia is on the world map. They sometimes place Malaysia in India and sometimes in Africa. With Najib it is likely to be Mongolia.
Mr Bean - May 20, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Kes Anwar ini tidak ada kena mengena dengan “politikal konspirasi”, jadi apa faedahnya Obama nak bincang dengan najib, yang tidak tahu menahu langsung berkenaan kes tersebut. Tiada apa yang najib boleh jawab pun, kan begitu?……. kan lebih baik Obama bercakap dengan Anwar dan sahabatx rapat beliau saja. Tunggu sajalah, masa yang sesuai Obama dan Anwar bertemu muka. Takkan Obama tak teringin nak jumpa Anwar “The Malaysian opposition Leader”, “a leading advocate of democratic reform as an antidote to Islamic extremism”, “a natural ally of the US”. Obama tak semudah itu untuk di bodek dan diperbodoh-bodohkan. Jangan jadi macam si Luncai terjun dengan labu-labunya. Mengharapkan hujan dilangit, air ditempayan dicurahkan….asyik asyik angkat bakul sendiri.
kkh - May 20, 2010 at 7:17 pm
“…Oppressing its people”, lebih lebih pula mr bean ni. what kind of oppression is that?.
leman - May 20, 2010 at 7:50 pm
When an unknown blogger named Rachel Motte wrote something in April attacking Anwar, Bernama quickly spread the news. Because I am not in Malaysia, can someone tell me whether RTM, the NST, Utusan, etc. have reported that in the past week the Washington Post and the Economist have both criticized Anwar’s trial?
The influence of the Washington Post and the Economist, compared to Rachel Motte, is about 1,000,000 to 1.
Let’s wait and see how the Obama Administration reacts to this editorial. There was a similar situation during the Bush Administration. The Bushies were very pleased with the cooperation they were receiving from Mahathir after 9/11, so when the Assistant Secretary of State, James Kelly, went to Malaysia, he said nothing about Anwar’s trial. He was criticized for that, so the next time he came to Malaysia with Secretary of State Colin Powell, he met with Wan Azizah, and Powell raise the matter with then Foreign Minister Syed Hamid. So let’s wait and see what happens next.
In any event, no one had to hire a big PR company to get the Washington Post and the Economist to write their articles. It didn’t cost anyone one ringitt. If Rachel Motte is the best that APCO can do, then Malaysia is wasting a lot of money.
John Malott - May 20, 2010 at 7:52 pm
It is indeed a major error especially coming from a veteran politician like Anwar Ibrahim to have risked it all by playing on the anti-Jewish sentiment of the Malays long nurtured by Mahathir over the last two decades. There must be something in the water he has been drinking!
Mr Bean - May 20, 2010 at 8:32 pm
A misstep by the Obama Administration would be taken advantage of by the youth wing of UMNO whose members would come out in droves to burn effigies of Obama in the streets of Kuala Lumpur and in front of the U.S. Embassy which would then translate to greater Malay support for Najib. It is a win win situation for Najib.
Mr Bean - May 20, 2010 at 8:42 pm
I fully agree with you Dr. Bean that some “katak bawah tempurung” think Anwar and asshole is big issue.
The President have to handle other important issues such as the Torpedo of South Korean Navy by the North, the mob war in Bangkok and financial crisis in Europe as well as other domestic political issues in the US.
Who is the idiot to think that the President must waste his grey matter on asshole politics in Malaysia.
tean - May 20, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Tean,
Maybe Bung Mokhtar? ‘Bung’ means asshole in the urban dictionary.
Mr Bean - May 20, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Here, here Mr Malott, who thinks Mr. Anwar can do no wrong. He forgets that Anwar was a favorite of the Malaysian self proclaimed dictator,Mr. Mahathir bin Mohamad. Not many know the real Mr. Anwar, the one time UMNO rising star and leader of the Wawasan Team! He is too smooth and too slippery a politician. Well trained by Mr. Mahathir, he is actually a younger version of the dear Malaysian leader. It remains to be seen what Mr. Anwar will do with power.
Those who work with him know that their leader is a wordsmith who is very playful and glib with words like good governance, human rights, democracy, freedom and justice. He is long on words, but short on action. This Economic Advisor for Selangor is even afraid to criticise his appointee Mentri Besar, Mr. Khalid Ibrahim.
I for one have become increasingly disenchanted with the man’s personal conduct and political flip flops. He claims to be a political liberal riding on the crest of multiracialism and the politics of inclusion, but he is, in fact, a Malay nationalist, well schooled in the traditions of UMNO. He had his share of cronies and shady deals when he was part of the Mahathir regime. Ask Joe Pairin and others in Sabah and Sarawak.
That is why I am amused by Netto’s writings on Mr. Anwar. I wonder what Netto who, I understand, is a man of strong religious convictions, and others like Din Merican, Haris Ibrahim, Raja Petra Kamaruddin really feel about Anwar Ibrahim. They probably feel the way I do, maybe even more disappointed as they stood up for him and others in Parti KeADILan Rakyat during the historic March 8, 2008 elections which brought about the political demise of Mr. Abdullah Badawi.
Ahmad Naim - May 20, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Ahmad Naim I agree with you. This is what Anwar declare in his facebook.
If you think Anwar is fighting for the rakyat, read this declaration by the man.
Currently running for Office: Prime Minister of Malaysia
tean - May 20, 2010 at 11:28 pm
Anwar is an individual in Malaysia and is being tried under Malaysian laws. Why would the President of the US be interested in Anwar’s trial? Obama has more important and pressing matters both in the US and other parts of the world to worry about Anwar. Furthermore in Obama’s meeting with Najibur he was being politically polite not to ask about Anwar.
If Obama makes a statement any statement for that matter on Anwar UMNO youth will be the first to protest in front of the US Embassy calling for the US not to intervene in domestic affairs of Malaysia.
But it’s always the reverse for Malaysia, always meddling and making statement about other countries under the pretext of engagement. Podah
semper fi - May 20, 2010 at 11:40 pm
What sort of hypocrisy are we getting into, when only recently we had strongly oppossed to any sort of foreign intervention and criticised their interference in our domestic affairs, we also told them not to meddle with our sovereignty and so forth, but now we seems very much engrossed with unprecedented worries over their silence on Anwar’s sodomy-2 trial. Why the sudden changed of attitude, is it due to the story of Najib’s recent meeting with Obama or could it be merely due to our misconception of the whole thing in question. Why must we worry; afterall, foreign interventions wouldn’t be doing any good to him, except we are, as Malaysian, who happened to know what is wrong and what is right for the people and the nation as its should be…….
knk - May 21, 2010 at 12:15 am
I think ambassador Mallot is saying what many in the State Dept are thinking, especially within S.E.Asian section. The U.S. State dept. is homongous and there are enough experts to handle the issue when it becomes one.
Obama’s lack of reaction, was because Joe Biden came out with a statement from the Senate. Anyway,I see Obama as too much of a compromiser with fake charisma. His gaffes are well known in things he doesn’t understand. It is fortunate that he is able to handpick excellent advisors. That by itself, I think would make him a fair POTUS, if not a great one.
Jibbo is like a lil’ boy rubbing his paws in glee, and probably doesn’t realise that there are more things running around his posterior than diplomatic niceties.
Menyalak-er - May 21, 2010 at 12:35 am
“Who is the idiot to think that the President must waste his grey matter on asshole politics in Malaysia”.- tean
You are absolutely right tean, sometime, almost all the time, there are people who tend to perceive the unthinkable, “timpa perasan”!!
knk - May 21, 2010 at 9:07 am
Obama or should it be Oh Bama.
He is a ONE term president. Makes the best out of everything just like Najib. Both have some kind of similarity when comes to politicking. Obama has been used by the jews and Najib by the maverick Mahathir. So much talk from Obama on muslim nations, talk of settling issues between Israel/Palestine. But till today we see nothing geared towards that goal.
What does he care about local politics of Malaysia. Obama is more concerned on International issues involving BIG muslim nations like IRAN. So, he realized that he could ‘use’ the Malaysian prime Minister to make his ends meet and this local premier ‘fell’ into Obama’s trap. Thanks but no thanks to APCO that played the instrumental role in organizing the Malaysian premier’s meet with Obama.
So Malaysians, please wake up, look what blunder Najib has made when he compromised Iran to US for his personal benefit. Now, you see who’s a better leader compared him and DSAI. I feel ashamed that the country, being a muslim country compromised another muslim country for personal benfeits. Now, Najib is sending Malaysian men to die in Afganistan.
aidilshah - May 21, 2010 at 9:10 pm