AZMIN’S TÊTE-À-TÊTE WITH ANWAR IN SUNGAI BULOH

Dr Wan Azizah initiated the application to make sure that Anwar would remain the Opposition Leader and to make sure that Azmin cannot take over as Opposition Leader. Furthermore, this is also to avoid a by-election, which Dr Wan Azizah feels they cannot win unless PAS supports them. This is crucial because PAS is stronger in that constituency than PKR is.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Two days after returning from his London trip where he created a furore regarding his reported meeting with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad — and which he denied — Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali triggered another furore today by visiting the de facto PKR Leader, Anwar Ibrahim, in the Sungai Buloh prison.

It was a four-eyes meeting, what we would normally call a tête-à-tête. Therefore only they know what was discussed, unless there was a bug under the table or you happen to have been the fly on the wall.

Nevertheless, Malaysia being Malaysia, the more people do not know the details the more they would jump to conclusions and make their own assumptions based on speculation and wishful thinking.

The question being asked is was Azmin in Sungai Buloh to explain to Anwar that he did not meet Dr Mahathir in London? Or was he meeting Anwar to brief the latter the details of the London meeting in the event there was a meeting? Or did Azmin meet Dr Mahathir in London at the behest of Anwar and was Azmin in Sungai Buloh to give Anwar a progress report?

And if the meeting between Azmin and Dr Mahathir did happen and if it was at the behest of Anwar what was the purpose of the meeting?

Some say Dr Mahathir wants to team up with Anwar to topple Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak but I would categorise that as wishful thinking because even if Dr Mahathir is pissed with Najib he detests Anwar even more.

Yes, questions upon questions and the more questions with no answers the more people will creatively come up with their own answers. But then is this not the Malaysian thing to do?

Another very interesting question is how did Azmin get to meet Anwar when clearly the prison rules do not allow it, as you can see below. Is Anwar a normal prisoner or a VVIP prisoner who needs not follow the prison rules like everyone else?

If Anwar is VVIP enough to be allowed an exemption of the prison rules then surely he need not be put in a hot and stifling hard-floor cell but can be allowed to sleep in the hospital wing on a bed with a mattress and a fan to keep him cool, like he did the first time around from September 1998 to September 2004.

Anyway, maybe the Minister-in-charge can enlighten us regarding the different status of prisoners. Or does the Minister know nothing because the Director is doing things without any reference to the Ministry? Or is the Director corrupt and is being paid a bribe to close both eyes, as is the normal culture in Malaysia where money can close many eyes. I think the Minister should respond before his enemies, and he has many, start accusing him of being bribed by Anwar.

Interesting, is it not? And they scream that all these allegations of corruption and abuse of power are opposition lies and not true one bit.

Anyway, if I wanted to speculate and if I was asked to speculate as to the reason why Azmin went to Sungai Buloh to meet Anwar for a one-to-one, four-eyes meeting with no bugs and fly on the wall around, I would discount all of the above. Instead I would have my own theory.

It seems, according to Anwar’s lawyers — and which they did announce — Anwar does not want to apply for a pardon. If not then he would more or less be confessing to the crime he has been accused of.

It was his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who initiated the application for a pardon. And it seems Anwar is not too happy with this.

Dr Wan Azizah initiated the application to make sure that Anwar would remain the Opposition Leader and to make sure that Azmin cannot take over as Opposition Leader. Furthermore, this is also to avoid a by-election, which Dr Wan Azizah feels they cannot win unless PAS supports them. This is crucial because PAS is stronger in that constituency than PKR is.

Azmin took a great risk by going to Sungai Buloh to meet Anwar. HRH the Sultan of Selangor may not be too pleased with this so Azmin may have to seek an audience with HRH to explain the reason for the visit.

Of course, if Azmin can explain to HRH that the purpose of the visit was to tell Anwar that he is not too happy about Dr Wan Azizah’s move to block him from taking over as the Opposition Leader then HRH might see that visit as positive rather than negative.

On the other hand, Azmin can always tell HRH to mind his own business but I doubt Azmin will do that. After all, Azmin did promise HRH that he would be HRH’s Menteri Besar and not Anwar’s Menteri Besar.

But then I am only speculating and was not the fly on the wall so take what I say as just that: speculation. This is not an ‘I told you so’ article.