'GE13 exposed elements of PKR being a US puppet'

The 13th general election has elements fitting the hypothesis that Pakatan Rakyat, or PKR in particular, is a foreign stooge working to change the regime for the benefit of the United States of America.

However, whether PKR is indeed on the US payroll to do its bidding can only be confirmed by the party itself.

This is the argument put forth by blogger Ruhanie Ahmad (left) at a forum in Universiti Malaya today that discussed the way forward for the BN and Pakatan after GE13.

According to Ruhanie, who authors the socio-political blog Kuda Kepang, geo-political readings would make US interference not entirely surprising.

He told a packed lecture hall at the main campus in Petaling Jaya that this was because the US has been sore with Malaysia for blocking its control of the Malacca Straits.

"If they can control (the Malacca Straits), they can transport energy from the Middle East to East Asia.

"Control of sources of energy and transportation routes will make the US the ultimate superpower," said Ruhanie, who is a doctorate candidate in geo-politics and security studies.

Malaysia's prime ministers from Dr Mahathir Mohamad to Najib Abdul Razak have been clear that no global superpower will have a stake in the maintenance of the straits.

This makes Malaysia the last elusive jigsaw piece in its bid to control the South-East Asia maritime channels, after successfully forging agreements with the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

"I see the 13th general election as the climax to an attempt by a superpower to put its proxy against the ruling government. That is my initial assumption. Is it true?" asked the former BN backbencher.

He said that question marks over foreign influence also extend to NGOs like electoral reform group Bersih, who have admitted to receiving funding from US sources.

He said that this argument was also put forward by "authentic" sources like socio-political portal Global Research writer Tony Cartalucci who said that Wall Street is disappointed that its "proxy" lost in the Malaysian polls.

"For the BN, this polls exposes two security problems - national security and societal security, and this must be corrected by the BN as a government's role is to safeguard security."

Hypothesis failed peer review?

His views were, however, challenged by members of the audience who were largely made up by postgraduate students and doctorate candidates.

One doctorate candidate from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) - who stood up during the question-and-answer session - even went as far as saying that if he were Ruhanie's supervisor, he would not give the former MP a passing mark.

"As a doctorate candidate, what framework did you use to come to that conclusion?

"The Global Researchwriter Cartalucci had also written that the Lahad Datu intruders were part of the Free Syria army, which is absolutely absurd," the UTM student said.

To this, Ruhanie replied that he did not make a conclusion, but merely raised a hypothesis for further study.

"My hypothesis was based on the new classical realm... that everything that happens in a country is a causal effect of something else that happens outside the country," he said.

Another postgraduate student also asked how is it that supporters of Bersih and Pakatan have to often fork out their own expenses to attend events if the two groups were so flushed with cash.

The former Parit Sulong MP, however, did not respond to this.

To another question, Ruhanie admitted that he had been very supportive of Bersih in 2007, but "the objectives and perceptions were different then".

"The first Bersih is not the same as the second and third Bersih (rallies)," he said, admitting that he was also very critical of the Abdullah administration, but that he is okay with the Najib administration.

Also on the panel was Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian and Keevan Sivarajah (left), who coordinated the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) election observation mission.

In response to Ruhanie, both started their presentations by admitting that they are foreign funded.

Ibrahim said he received US$60,000 in foreign grants, while Keevan said the entire election observation mission was funded by foreign missions and most controversially, by George Soros-founded Open Society Institute.

"We wrote to the Pakatan and BN governments, as well as the Prime Minister's Department for funding, but no one wrote back," he said.

Although not taking Ruhanie head on, Ibrahim said that one needs to truly question if funding of US$60,000 for Merdeka Centre and US$20,000 for Bersih is as big a security threat as the thousands of foreigners flooding Sabah, as was revealed in the royal commission of inquiry.