No conspiracy behind working with IRI – PKR leaders

Several Pakatan Harapan leaders have defended the coalition's working partnership with the International Republican Institute (IRI), saying it was confined to bipartisan leadership training sessions.

PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah said IRI conducted training for Harapan politicians as well as those from BN.

“They have been training Gerakan as well. All our activities have been done in a transparent manner,” she said when met at the Parliament lobby this evening.

However, she denied that the partnership or training sessions comprised concerted plans to topple BN.

“Any toppling is through democratic means (and) participating in elections.

“Any sort of conspiracy theory should be directed at the letter sent by that insidious grouping under former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak seeking that CIA absolve him of any wrongdoing,” she added.

Nurul was referring to a letter sent by Hasanah Abdul Hamid, the former head of the Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO), seeking US' support if BN won the election even with a single seat.

IRI told a forum last month that it had been attempting to "strengthen" Malaysian opposition parties since 2002.

While the group did not take credit for the fall of the BN government in the 14th general election, it, however, stated that a Harapan-led government was beneficial for Washington.

Meanwhile, PKR information chief Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh similarly confirmed Harapan had worked with IRI but not to influence domestic politics.

“We've had engagements with many such organisations including IRI but under no circumstances did they influence the democratic process.

“From the beginning, we’ve always believed in charting our own destiny. But, of course, we’re open to opinions,” he told Malaysiakini.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin also said the IRI training was confined to “leadership training”.

“They have come and funded some of our leadership training.

“Normally these international bodies will come and engage parties to promote healthy democracies and that kind of thing,” she said when met at the Parliament lobby.

Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has denied that the party ever had ties with IRI or the US Republican Party.

The IRI is affiliated with the Republican Party in the US, and its board was until two days ago chaired by Senator John McCain.

It was founded as one of the four pro-democracy groups funded by the National Endowment for Democracy, which is in turn, funded by the US Congress.

In recent years, the IRI has been accused of training opposition and coup leaders in countries such as Honduras, Haiti, Cuba, Egypt and Tunisia.

-Mkini