The big Saudi Arabian question

The Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has been detailed by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to investigate Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and his alleged links with a radical Muslim group.

Why is Saudi Arabia suddenly in the news? Two weeks ago, ‘The First Lady’ was in Riyadh for a three day visit. We were told about Rosmah Mansor's Total Quality Management talk but was she told the results of the investigation by the Saudis into Anwar, which had proved negative? Was she also told that the House of Saud was displeased that Najib had cast doubt on the activities of two of their princes?

This week we are told that a CNN report absolved Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and his Pakatan Rakyat party from having any terrorist links in the middle-east.

The public was not privy to this information and so the pretence of starting an investigation into Anwar had to be started. It is all part of the bigger picture for Najib to discredit Anwar.

The roots of this investigation started in August 2010, when Najib allegedly told the Saudi Arabian authorities that he allegedly believed that two of their royal princes were funding Anwar in the upcoming elections.

The Saudis launched an investigation, and uncovered something very different and more alarming.

A secret report seen by CNN concludes: “There is no evidence any Saudi official ever supported Anwar Ibrahim” and “claims of support from the Saudi royals named in the initial report [names redacted] were found to be without basis.”

Despite Anwar’s name having been cleared, Najib continued to mislead the Malaysian public and with Hishammuddin’s help, is putting the story out that Anwar is linked to middle-eastern terrorist groups.

This news just before the Tenang by-election (and possibly Merlimau), is intended to alarm the Chinese voters and liberal Muslims there.

A Muslim run state is one thing, but a fundamentalist muslim state is another kettle of fish.

No mention had been made that Najib was the catalyst for the secret Saudi investigations. No attempt had been made to tell the rakyat that investigations revealed that Anwar was not involved.

Hishammuddiin said that the investigation into Anwar was because national security was compromised because of the involvement of terrorist organisations.

However, when Anwar first mentioned Najib’s links with APCO, a company with strong Israeli links, especially as the Malaysian government has no diplomatic relations with Israel, the response from the Home minister was negligible.

Neither was Hishammuddin moved to investigate the illicit outflows of funds totalling US$291 billion or RM881 billion during the period 2000 to 2009, which the Global Financial Integrity report revealed.

Needless to say, Hishammuddin would not have mentioned that this is not the first time CNN has been drawn into Malaysian politics.

Last year, Utusan accused Anwar of paying CNN to feature him in their show ‘Connect the World’, watched by hundreds of millions around the world.

The U.S. news broadcaster denied the allegations.

Hishammuddin would be well advised to start investigations into the high levels of corruption in this country.

He could whip up the police and the judiciary into doing real, effective work instead of more cover-ups.

Our rakyat, principally its young and the marginalised, feel increasing alienated and disenchanted with his government. - Malaysia Chronicle