Malaysia Matters Podcast

For bloggers, an interesting profile is up on former PM Mahathir Mohamed, who has become a vocal blogger in Malaysia:

Earlier this year, like many other inconvenient critics, he joined what seems to be a political wave of the future, creating his own acerbic blog - www.chedet.com - an online journal where he vents in both English and Malay several times a week.

Around the region, bloggers like him are becoming a fifth estate, challenging the government’s monopoly on information in Singapore, evading censors in Vietnam and influencing events in places like Thailand, Cambodia and China.

In March, political experts say, Malaysia’s bloggers helped tip the balance, contributing to the biggest upset the governing party, the United Malays National Organization, had suffered since independence in 1957. For the first time in decades, it fell below two-thirds of the seats in Parliament, and it lost control of 5 of 13 states.

Two months after that, in May, Mahathir went digital, cutting and thrusting with elan.

“It is time the so-called intellectuals realize they were being duped by the Master of Spin,” he wrote on Aug. 21, referring to his bitter enemy, Anwar Ibrahim, who was his deputy prime minister and now leads the opposition.

“The pious Muslim, who is also the bosom pal of Paul Wolfowitz, the neo-con Jew, the killer of Muslims,” he said, referring to the former U.S. deputy secretary of defense.

The article also speaks about Jeff Ooi, one of Malaysia’s first political bloggers, who decided to run for Parliament, and won. It turns out, that it was Ooi who persuaded Mahathir to take up blogging.

Mahathir Mohamad’s blog: Che Det.

Jeff Ooi’s blog: Screenshots.

While a fellow at the American Center for Democracy, Ilan Weinglass detailed for FrontPageMagazine.com Anwar’s ties to terrorism through the International Institute of Islamic Thought:

Anwar Ibrahim is a founder and director of the Muslim Brotherhood affiliated International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), a think tank in Virginia that has alleged links to terrorism. IIIT’s 2003 tax-exempt IRS filing lists a $720 donation to the al-Haramain Islamic Foundation of Ashland, Oregon, which was designated as a terrorist funding organization by the U.S. government in 2004. Among the Treasury Department’s findings were that the Oregon branch of al-Haramain engaged in tax fraud, money laundering, supporting Chechen mujahideen affiliated with al Qaeda, and had “direct links between the U.S. branch and Usama bin Laden.” In fact, many of al – Haramain’s offices around the world were closed for supporting terrorism.

There is more evidence of IIIT’s links to terrorism. A few examples: according to court documents, in the early 1990s IIIT donated at least $50,000 to a think tank run by Sami al-Arian, the World Islamic and Study Enterprise (WISE), that served as a front group for Palestinian Islamic Jihad. IIIT is also named as a defendant in two class-action lawsuits brought by victims of the 9/11 attacks. One alleges that IIIT received the bulk of its operating expenses from the SAAR network, whose component groups are accused in another class-action suit of being “fronts for the sponsor of al Qaeda and international terror.” The same suit lists IIIT as well as every officer of IIIT besides Anwar Ibrahim as a supporter of the SAAR network. This public information was available to SAIS, yet the school extended a fellowship to Ibrahim.

Ibrahim, along with three other IIIT directors, is also a trustee of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY). According to congressional testimony of testimony of Jonathan Winer, former Deputy Secretary of State for International Law Enforcement, in October 2002 WAMY made Hamas leader Khalid Mishal an “honored guest” at a conference held in Riyadh. A Saudi opposition group reports that WAMY disseminates literature encouraging “religious hatred and violence against Jews, Christians, Shi’a and Ashaari Muslims.” Evidently, as a trustee of this group, Anwar Ibrahim is far from advocating moderate Islam.

Ibrahim and his family were also the beneficiaries of an apparent tax fraud perpetrated by IIIT. The same tax filings showing a donation to the al-Haramian foundation show $92,200 in contributions to Ibrahim’s daughter, Nurul Izzah. IIIT violated U.S. law when it wrote “none” under “Donee’s relationship” when listing donations to Ibrahim’s daughter. The group would have lost its tax-exempt status had it been known that it was sending money to the family member of a director. Ibrahim never disavowed this act when given the chance and even stated explicitlythat these contributions were made for the education of his six children.

Moreover, the International Free Anwar Campaign (IFAC), which was established when Ibrahim was in a Malaysian prison, has some apparent links to al Qaeda. Rahim Ghouse, who was an IFAC leader based out of Melbourne, Australia, had business dealings with Yassin al-Qadi, who is on the Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Terrorists for funding al Qaeda. While this alone is not conclusive, it should have raised a red flag. Instead, SAIS assigned Ibrahim to “counsel students who wish to learn more about Southeast Asia and the Muslim world.”

Perhaps most importantly, Ibrahim never disavowed IIIT’s support of terrorism. On the contrary: in an October 25, 2003 response to the broadcasting of terror-supporting charges against IIIT on Australian television, he effusively praised the organization and said that charges against it were politically motivated.

One of the first things that Anwar did after being released from prison in 2005 was attend meetings in Turkey with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his advisor Ahmet Davatoglu at the behest of their Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, or AKP). Anwar’s pro-Malay, Islamacist rhetoric has been previously covered here, but relationships with like-minded individuals must be noted as well. Only a month ago, Erdogan and the AKP vary narrowly avoided dissolution in a split-vote constitutional court ruling that found that Turkish secularist principles had not been violated.

But secularists within Turkey remain unconvinced.

In spite of Turkey’s strides towards westernization and the possibility of EU membership, the AKP is a protagonist of ethnic and religious derision. Erogan’s advisor, Ahmet Davutoglu provides a basis for this concern as a concept of governance. Davutglu writes: “The world is composed of cultural blocs, and Turkey falls into the ‘Muslim bloc.’”

From the US perspective, Turkey under Erdogan has proven to be a difficult strategic partner in the war on terror. Does the condition of the US relationship with Turkey foreshadow a decline in the US-Malaysia relationship under Anwar?

We already know that Anwar perceives Malaysia to fall within the “Muslim bloc.”  And so, in the context of the war on terror, the US must question what ground will be lost as Anwar pushes Malaysia closer to Sharia and farther from the West.

Anwar’s recent anti-semitic remarks gave us pause and cause to take stock of the man and another look at his record and past associations. It is of paramount importance that both Malaysians and Americans understand the dangerous implications of a Malaysia ruled by Anwar Ibrahim.

As is pointed out by Ganesh Sahathevan of the The Terror Finance Blog, “many Westerners believe Anwar to be a liberal who would prefer the rule of civil law rather than Sharia. This belief is often relied on to argue against any evidence of his involvement in the financing of terrorism , or at the very least, structures that lead to acts of terrorism.”

But the evidence of involvement with those connections can’t, and shouldn’t be ignored - especially by Americans (including Gore) who seem to be drawn in by Anwar’s ‘underdog’ status as opposition leader and choose to ignore facts about his past. 

His role in founding the International Institute of Islamic Thought, and the IIIT’s subsequent financing of jihadist and Islamist organisations known to be involved in acts of terrorism should set off alarm bells.

For instance, during Israel’s action in Lebanon, Anwar’s commentary in the press was very pro-Hamas and anti-Israeli. It would seem that associates of his put that sentiment into action. A board member of Anwar’s IIIT, Sheik Yusuf Al-Qardawi, “for whom Anwar has great admiration, ” is the likely founder and leader of the “Union for Good,” an association now banned in Israel because it is a de facto Hamas support network.

 

Malaysia is assisting the Philippines in brokering a deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to create a semi-independent Muslim state to be carved out of Mindanao.

A truce between the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front was to be signed on Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur, but a temporary restraining order filed by Filipino Catholics concerned about details and ramifications of the deal was accepted by the Supreme Court who will determine the validity of claims on August 15. In conjunction with the diplomatic standstill, there were reports of a mortar attack outside the town of Midsayap in the disputed area, with blame being directed towards MILF.

The insurrection has lasted about thirty years and the government of the Philipines has negotiated with the MILF over the course of the last ten years.

The agreement on Tuesday will give the Moros autonomy over eight provinces, with its own banking, legal and education systems, a civil service and an internal security force.

The prime minister’s department says the deal will give the MILF the homeland it has waged a civil war to achieve since 1978.

Parties hope that with stability on Mindanao, the natural resources there may beckon foreign investors and provide a boost for the Philippine economy. 

The government promises that there will be proper constitutional process and plebiscite before areas are handed over to Moro authority as Christian Filipinos on Mindanao are very concerned about their future. 

Because of the real chance that inequity may cause a backlash, we hope that Malaysian influence helps inspire both parties to lay the foundation for a lasting peace.

The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that it is eliminating visas on arrival for 27 countries as of this Friday. Reported countries included are India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Citizens of the aforementioned nations will have to make arrangements prior to arrival in Malaysia.

Visitors from these countries, many whom have come to Malaysia to work, too often overstay their visas. According to Expressindia.com, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said that: 

“although foreign workers had contributed tremendously to the economy, they were also the cause of social ills, illegal squatters and diseases such as tuberculosis…”

Malaysia relies heavily on foreign workers who number about 2.1 million, half of them Indonesians. About 140,000 are Indians, 330,000 are from Bangladesh and 260,000 Nepalese…

US citizens will still enjoy a favorable visa upon arrival with stays authorized up to three months with a possible extension of another two months.

Malaysia has a chance to help Zimbabwe.

Well, help might not exactly be the right word. 

The Mugabe government, under an inflationary crisis, is rapidly running out of paper. And what does a dictator seek to do after he has over-printed his money beyond any value?

Well he seeks to print more money, of course. After all, the guys with the guns who have your back only will be there so long as the paychecks don’t run out.

So how does this involve Malaysia?

Well, since it appears that his current source of banknote paper (Germany) is likely to dry up as a result of sanctions against his government, Mugabe is looking to Malaysia and Indonesia to replenish his supply.  And, since neither country has taken the same posture as the EU regarding Zimbabwe, this may be only the first of a many orders that Mugabe might like to place with the Asia-Pacific nation(s).

Now a word to the wise: Mugabe doesn’t seem like a very good credit risk these days, and it doesn’t seem like the best bet taking a check from him either.  But, if you do decide to do business with him, for Heaven’s sake, don’t take his cash. Where will you put it all?

Malaysia has an extra bit of interest in the outcome of the US presidential election. Obama’s brother-in-law is Malaysian. 

An assistant professor at the University of Hawaii in Manoa (UHM), Ng, whose family originally comes from Sabah, is married to Obama’s half-sister Maya Soetoro.

Though Ng was actually born in Canada, he has relatives still living throughout Malaysia.  Maya was born in Jakarta. They return to the area every few years to maintain close ties.

There are some important things to be discussed during this week’s meeting of ASEAN member nations, not the least of which is the ever-mounting concern over the welfare of member populations amidst increasing costs of commodities. With such a serious agenda, it would seem unlikely that the ongoing sensationalist headlines about opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim would prove much of a distraction amongst the ministerial delegations. 

But ASEAN just announced that it forecasts its declaration on human rights will be done within a year.  Perhaps the occasion will offer folks back home in Malaysia the impetus to seriously reflect upon institutions there.  For instance, what about the basic rights of those accused of a crime? To be sure, Anwar is making political hay of his situation, best as he can, but in all fairness, why, having since been jailed and bailed, has he been unable to see a copy of the police report?

Officials point out that they are following procedure to the letter, but why not just give Anwar the report? Amidst the hubbub, there have been reassurances that the government is doing just fine, but why the need for reassurances? To a certain extent, the government is helping fuel Anwar’s ongoing commentary.

Getting the easy stuff right and quickly out of the way helps show folks that the government is acting on the up and up; that it is transparent. And transparency never hurts, unless there is something to hide.

Yesterday, Jerome Armstrong and I had the privilege of sitting down to interview Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, founder and CEO of the American Society for Muslim Advancement, author of “What’s Right with Islam,” imam of Masjid al-Farah in New York City, and most important — for our purposes — the co-founder and Chairman of the Board of the Cordoba Initiative. The Cordoba Initiative is part of the reason we’re here in Kuala Lumpur: it is co-sponsoring, with the Malaysian Foreign Ministry, the Third International Conference on the Muslim World and the West (about which more anon), and it has as its core mission the “[healing of] the relationship between the Islamic World and America.”

Imam Feisal was extraordinarily generous with his time, and though the exchange was intense at points, we managed to discuss an impressive array of issues, from American elections, to a commonality of values between America and Islam, to Malaysian history, and beyond. With apologies for the rather erratic audio quality, please settle in for a conversation with the Imam.

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