It is obvious that it was the overwhelming public opinion
that finally pressured US President Barack Obama to agree to meet with leaders
of Malaysian civil society movements, including Bersih, Islamic Renaissance
Front and the Bar Council during his visit to Kuala Lumpur this weekend. It was
also public pressure that led to the US embassy to arrange Obama’s National
Security Adviser Susan Rice to meet with Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
While these gestures may be encouraging admission that
the US still values human rights and democracy but they are far from sufficient
to redeem the declining faith in the super power to stand up to its role as the
leader and champion of democracy in a complex and sophisticated world today.
Anwar is no ordinary man in Malaysian politics. He has
managed to unite the opposition to gain the support of 52% of the voters in the
last general election just a year ago. He should have been the rightful prime
minister but due to undemocratic electoral practices he remains as the
opposition leader but is still capable of mounting another challenge to the
present government in the next elections. He is now the leader of a formidable
opposition in parliament.
However he has been unjustly tried and convicted of a
crime that could land him in jail for life, thereby destroying his political career.
It is ironical he is may be jailed for an alleged crime that in the US is a
legitimate right of a citizen – sodomy.
If Obama and the US are truly committed to champion democracy
and human rights in the world where such principles are blatantly abused, he
must agree meet with our opposition leader to get a first-hand information of
his views which reflects the views of the majority of Malaysians.
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