Leaked emails show Zionist lobby group did work for PKR official

 

(Malaysiakini) - Leaked email correspondence obtained by The Choice (see letter here) confirms that the infamous Zionist lobbying firm Orion Strategies did work on behalf of senior PKR officials – despite the party’s vigorous denials.

Speaking to Free Malaysia Today (FMT) on 2 April, top PKR official Rafizi Ramli categorically denied that his party had anything to do with Washington DC-based Orion:

“Any attempts to link PKR to any paid foreign agents is just an election gimmick to defame Anwar Ibrahim, that has been done previously. It did not bear any fruit the last time. I am sure it will backfire this time around as well.”

But the emails obtained by The Choice show that Orion employee Mike Mitchell wrote to the offices of American Congressmen, soliciting meetings with PKR counsellor and former SUARAM Chief Executive Cynthia Gabriel.

Mitchell wrote:

Dear [name expunged by The Choice], I hope this finds you well. I am arranging meetings for two Malaysian democracy/civil society activists who will be visiting Washington late next week. I know there are many demands on the Congressman’s time but was hoping for a short window where they can pay a courtesy call to your office. Both are excellent English speakers. Details are below. Please let me know if you have any questions. Best, Mike.

Ibrahim Suffian of the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research was due to accompany Gabriel on her lobbying trip. It is believed that they postponed their trip at the last minute, for unknown reasons.

DUOS’ DENIAL

In a joint statement both Gabriel and Suffian vigorously denied any knowledge of Orion Strategies or the Washington trip.

“We are dismayed to learn at how the wheel of false propaganda has turned once again to create lies and false impressions to demonise us nearing the general election,” Gabriel and Ibrahim told FMT.

POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE

In his emails to the American Congressmen, Mitchell warns that “un-resolved issues” are “threatening the integrity of Malaysia’s electoral process” and could “plunge Malaysia into deep, post-electoral civil crisis.” Gabriel could “discuss political developments”, with the Congressmen, Mitchell suggests.

Anwar’s PKR have been accused of planning violence and unrest on Election Day. In an article in FMT on 10 April, former Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) president Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim claimed to have proof the opposition planned to create “chaos” on polling day.

“We have seen an internal PKR document dated Dec 15, 2012, which lists out various steps to create chaos and dissatisfaction against the Elections Commission on polling day by raising repeated protests at the polling station so as to cause the other voters waiting in the queue to be unhappy and dissatisfied with the EC,” Tunku said.

ISRAEL’S LOBBYISTS

Orion Strategies represent numerous right-wing politicians in the United States and are also one of the fiercest defenders of the Israeli government. They are infamous for launching smear campaigns against American politicians deemed critical of the Jewish state.

Orion’s Vice President, Michael Goldfarb, launched a smear campaign against President Barack Obama during his re-election campaign last year, accusing the President of associating with critics of Israel.

Randy Scheunemann, a former advisor to U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, heads Orion Strategies.

Scheunemann helped establish the ‘Emergency Committee for Israel’, a lobbying outfit which has close links to the hard right of Israeli politics and the Likud government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In his denial to FMT, Rafizi suggested that PKR would not be in a position to hire Orion Strategies because “the cost itself will be prohibitive given the limited financial resources available to us.”