PKR confirms Clinton due to meet Anwar, worry logistical rush

Malaysia Chronicle

PKR officials have confirmed that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is due to meet U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday afternoon for a private session of talks that would include the declining level of democracy in Malaysia, rising racism as well as his manifestly fabricated sodomy charges.

“We are still trying hard to resolve the issue of logistics because the time clashes with his program in Batu Sapi,” PKR strategic director told Malaysia Chronicle.

Due to fiery protests and threats from Prime Minister Najib Razak’s Umno party, U.S. officials have had a tough time trying to figure out the least contentious way for Clinton to meet Anwar.

Clinton to affirm U.S. support for democracy and civil society

Clinton is due to meet civil society groups earlier on Tuesday and initially there had been talk of her meeting the entire Pakatan Rakyat team.

Malaysia's charismatic Oppoisition Leader Anwar Ibrahim

But apart from irking Umno, all the Pakatan leaders from Anwar to DAP’s Lim Kit Siang to PAS’ Hadi Awang are also traveling to and from between East and West Malaysia.

They are in the last lap of non-stop campaigning for two key by-elections that are being fiercely fought in Umno-BN strongholds.

If Anwar is unable to get back to Kuala Lumpur in time, his wife and PKR president Wan Azizah may represent him.

Najib and Umno want to prevent a Clinton-Anwar meeting as it would reaffirm U.S. support for the charismatic opposition leader, who led the Pakatan to historic success in the 2008 general election.

Pakatan won 5 of the country’s 13 states and more than half of the popular vote in the peninsula. It has an even chance of wresting the federal government in the coming general election.

Already, the Najib administration has been accused of using sodomy charges to jail Anwar before they dissolve Parliament. General elections need not be held until mid 2013 but Malaysia is abuzz with talk that Najib will call for snap polls next year.

Last month, he called on his Umno party to prepare for elections and also vowed to defend their stranglehold on the federal government even it it meant "crushed bodies", "lost lives" and "ethnic cleansing". His speech was so alarming, Pakatan lawmakers have demanded he explains his speech to Parliament.