The Circus that got to America-2

We will fight on land, sea and air. The supporters of Anwar Ibrahim would have preferred us to just sit down by and watch whatever they say on foreign shores go unchallenged. We don't do that.

There are 1001 reasons why Wee Choo Keong (troublemaker) and Zahrain Hashim( side-indeterminate) are in USA attending the CSIS forum . Why should their presence be an issue? They have nothing to add to Anwar Ibrahim's case or throw any light on issues such as Allah controversy and so on. They were there as were Tajuddin, deputy speaker, Ronald Kiandee as part of the team of MPs on study trip. They have these frequently and such trips do also include opposition MPs.

Ghani Patail was on a trip to South America and stopped over in Washington to meet up with his counterparts. Officials from SPRM were also around to explain Malaysia's stand on corruption. They were not part of Nazri's entourage. Ghani Patail was caught up with his counterparts and couldn't make it to the CSIS forum. I am sure it was the courteous thing to explain the absence of the other speakers at the forum. But we didn't hear the report on this. A simple and innocent explanation that doesn't deserve deceiving spin.

If I were an adversary to Anwar Ibrahim, I don't find anything strange in bringing Zahrain Hashim. He has left the party and so PKR does not have any moral authority over him. He may be despicable on many fronts but if I can use him to discredit my political adversary, why not. Not commendable but useful. Anwar Ibrahim isn't someone who will want to dismiss such an opportunity. Zahrain may be able to expose the shenanigans inside PKR and on Anwar Ibrahim himself. Which sides people are on are not relevant factors to consider when Anwar Ibrahim was so sure 30 over MPs were going to cross over last year. So why should which side Zahrain is on, be bothersome to Anwar's supporters?

If our ambassador had not capitalized on Zahrain's presence in DC to shed light on who Anwar and PKR are, then I would question his political prowess.

Wee choo Keong? I can't offer any explanation why he was there other than being part of the entourage with Nazri.

There is only the other possible explanation. It seems that Anwar Ibrahim DOES NOT WANT Americans in Washington to hear the views of Malaysian officials about his case – including the Malaysian judge who ordered him released in 2004. Yes, that is the reason why Tun Hamid Mohamad goes to America.

Don't you see this as strange? Anwar Ibrahim who proselytizes on democracy doesn't want free speech taking place in democratic America? If the attendance to the CSIS was dismal, then Anwar has no grounds to be worried.

You can see the black hands of Anwar Ibrahim in this event. As soon as Washington think-tank CSIS announced it would host a February 24 forum, open to the public, on Malaysian legislative initiatives on governance and rule of law, Anwar and his team swung into action. How?

One of the earliest steps taken by Anwar's Trojan horses was to call up John Hamre, the head of CSIS, urging him to cancel the conference on the grounds that it would be improper to give "legitimacy" to what is, after all, the elected government of Malaysia, by allowing any of its officials to speak.  Hamre was told that no Malaysian officials should be permitted to speak unless and until Anwar's trial was shut-down through political pressure on the judiciary.

What Hamre did was to call the head of its Southeast Asian program, Ernest Bower, who had put the conference together. Ernest Bower answered that he has also done events with the opposition. It was his understanding that is part of CSIS's policy to encourage all voices to be heard. Hamre authorized full-speed ahead.

The next tactic of the Anwar team was to secure the services of friendly blog pieces ahead of the conference, attacking it before anyone had said a word, and calling it a circus. Sure enough opposition-favoured bloggers immediately complied with efficient pre-event hatchet jobs.  The reporter from Malaysiakini said he flew in from San Francisco. It is strange that his news and information were reproduced in Malaysia Today and not his employer's on line paper.

Will Anwar tell us, how much it costs to have this chap flown from San Francisco to DC?