More questions raised over Misuari-Anwar links

 

(Malaysia Review) - Were they hatching a plot to help each other fulfill their hopes?

Attempts to brush off the links between the founding chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Nur Misuari and Pakatan Rakyat's Anwar Ibrahim only raise more questions. Fresh queries are being raised about what exactly was the topic of discussion between them when they met in Jakarta a few months ago. Have they been in communication since? What common agenda did an ex-Filipino rebel and an ex-Malaysian Minister share?

Only answers to these questions will calm the disquiet created in the Philippines and Malaysia by Wikileaks' revelation of the duo's links.  Wikileaks had reported of diplomatic cables sent by the US mission in the Philippines.

The 2007 report to the US State Department described Misuari as someone who still harboured aspirations to 'regain' Sabah from Malaysia.  The report had also quoted a Filipino official as saying that Malaysia was concerned about Misuari's intentions towards Sabah as well as about his recent contacts with Anwar.

It is telling that, since the story broke, Anwar has largely remained silent about his meeting with Misuari.  PKR Deputy President Azmin Ali and Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah attempted to brush aside the significance of the Misuari-Anwar connection. But not many have been swayed by their feeble attempts to whitewash a potentially-explosive revelation.

Azmin tried to justify the Misuari-Anwar connection by saying that at the time of the Wikileaks report, Nur Misuari was the governor of Mindanao, so many leaders met Misuari.

But he did not explain why a FORMER Governor who later spent time in jail and currently holds no position in the Philippines continued to have contacts with a FORMER Malaysian Minister who also later spent time in jail and currently holds no position in Malaysia.

Misuari now harbours hopes of 'reclaiming' Sabah and Anwar harbours hopes of 'reclaiming' his government position. Were they hatching a plot to help each other fulfill their hopes?