The Sydney Morning Herald commentary

The Sydney Morning Herald commentary

Wednesday, 09 July 2008
Yet if there is one man steeled to challenge the political stranglehold of the coalition that has ruled Malaysia for half a century, it is Mr Anwar.

MySinchew

There is a political storm building in Malaysia that Australia cannot afford to ignore. The decision by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, to seek to avoid the worst of the turbulence when he flies into Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (10 July) is short sighted, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Mr Rudd will meet the beleaguered Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi, who suffered an extraordinary swing against his ruling party in March despite the considerable advantages of incumbency.

But Mr Rudd will not meet the man at the centre of the political drama, the de facto opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim.

Yet if there is one man steeled to challenge the political stranglehold of the coalition that has ruled Malaysia for half a century, it is Mr Anwar. In the late 1990s, the one-time Muslim student leader rose to the position of deputy to the then prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, who presided over a Malaysian democracy of form, not substance. Harsh internal security laws, a vast police special branch, media controls and a tamed judiciary helped keep the Barisan Nasional in power, according to the paper.

Mr Anwar's stellar political rise was cut short in 1998 by sensational sodomy and corruption charges, protecting Dr Mahathir from a potential challenge from within. A six-year jail term and a serious beating at the hands of police turned Mr Anwar into a popular symbol of disaffection across Malaysian society. When Mr Anwar's sodomy conviction was overturned in 2004 after Dr Mahathir's retirement, there were hopes for a more open political system under Mr Abdullah.

But, the report pointed out, it is deja vu in Kuala Lumpur. Just months after a court ban expired, clearing the way for Mr Anwar to stand for election again, another sodomy allegation has been trotted out. Given the timing and the politicization of the Malaysian judiciary and police, it must be regarded with deep suspicion.

Mr Rudd's office says protocol rules out a meeting with Mr Anwar. However, it is not unusual for Australian prime ministers to meet significant political figures while overseas; Mr Rudd met Hillary Clinton and John McCain while in the US this year. George Bush and Hu Jintao met him when in Sydney before last year's elections.

How Malaysia's deepening political tensions play out, and at what cost to democracy and stability, is of great regional significance. Mr Anwar is a former deputy prime minister and now leads a coalition of opposition parties that has already delivered an unexpected body blow to the Government. He is a man Australia needs to understand, The Sydney Morning Herald points out.