Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has urged the US to not only occupy itself with trade and investment agendas in its engagement in Asia including Malaysia, but to keep true to its values of freedom and democracy.
"President Obama’s visit to Malaysia this weekend comes at a pivotal time. It would be an opportune moment to live up to the ideals Obama espoused in his campaign and the early days of his administration.
"And the truth is that the US pivot to Asia should not merely be about trade and investment or the creation of alliances of the world’s great powers, important as these goals may be," he said in an opinion piece in Washington Post today.
Anwar's remarks come as US president Barack Obama arrives in Kuala Lumpur today for a two-day visit.
The opposition is upset that Obama will not be meeting Anwar amid his conviction for sodomy in March, which they say is a trumped up charge and blatant political assassination.
This is a further slap in the face for the parliamentary opposition leader of a coalition that rules the key states of Penang, Selangor and Kelantan.
However, Obama is scheduled to meet several prominent civil society representatives tomorrow, including electoral reform group Bersih, Islamic Renaissance Front and the Bar Council.
Don't do-an-Egypt-on M'sia
However, Obama is scheduled to meet several prominent civil society representatives tomorrow, including electoral reform group Bersih, Islamic Renaissance Front and the Bar Council.
Anwar described the country's reformasi movement for the last 15 years as Malaysia's own Arab Spring in the struggle for greater freedom and democracy.
Anwar pointed out that as the Arab Spring came and went in Egypt, it was "baffling' that the US spoke of democratic transition as hundreds of innocent people were sentenced to death and thousands more languished in prisons.
Meanwhile, Anwar's office last night sent an email to media outlets outlining several statement of support from global leaders for Anwar as well as his interviews in the last month, stressing that Obama's refusal to meet the opposition leader was a "mistake".
Anwar's office said Obama's snubbing of Anwar was tantamount to ignoring the majority of Malaysians who voted for the opposition even though the ruling coalition retained power.
"In doing so, the United States would be ignoring the 52 percent of Malaysians who support Anwar and believe in democratic reform, transparency and religious freedom," it said.
"President Obama’s visit to Malaysia this weekend comes at a pivotal time. It would be an opportune moment to live up to the ideals Obama espoused in his campaign and the early days of his administration."And the truth is that the US pivot to Asia should not merely be about trade and investment or the creation of alliances of the world’s great powers, important as these goals may be," he said in an opinion piece in Washington Post today.
Anwar's remarks come as US president Barack Obama arrives in Kuala Lumpur today for a two-day visit.
The opposition is upset that Obama will not be meeting Anwar amid his conviction for sodomy in March, which they say is a trumped up charge and blatant political assassination.
This is a further slap in the face for the parliamentary opposition leader of a coalition that rules the key states of Penang, Selangor and Kelantan.
However, Obama is scheduled to meet several prominent civil society representatives tomorrow, including electoral reform group Bersih, Islamic Renaissance Front and the Bar Council.
Don't do-an-Egypt-on M'sia
However, Obama is scheduled to meet several prominent civil society representatives tomorrow, including electoral reform group Bersih, Islamic Renaissance Front and the Bar Council.
Anwar described the country's reformasi movement for the last 15 years as Malaysia's own Arab Spring in the struggle for greater freedom and democracy.
He added this agenda by the opposition received majority support in the last election, albeit The Election Integrity Project by Havard University and University of Sydney rated the election's integrity as poor at 66th out of 73 elections with the US acknowledging reported irregularities.
"In Malaysia, there is an opportunity (for the US) to take a different path.
"The values of freedom and democracy must remain paramount, and even if Wilsonian idealism appears to be on the wane, Jeffersonian ideals still resonate with the people in this part of the world," he said.Meanwhile, Anwar's office last night sent an email to media outlets outlining several statement of support from global leaders for Anwar as well as his interviews in the last month, stressing that Obama's refusal to meet the opposition leader was a "mistake".
Anwar's office said Obama's snubbing of Anwar was tantamount to ignoring the majority of Malaysians who voted for the opposition even though the ruling coalition retained power.
"In doing so, the United States would be ignoring the 52 percent of Malaysians who support Anwar and believe in democratic reform, transparency and religious freedom," it said.
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