Sept 2, 2000

Anwar was never an American spy
John R Malott

That infamous pamphlet, 50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Become Prime Minister, contained a number of wild accusations that subsequently have been shown to be false. Remember the charge that Anwar had a love child?

It was none other than Abdul Rahim Noor, the former IGP, who told a press conference in 1998 that DNA tests had shown that it was not true. As we all know, Rahim would have no reason to lie on Anwar's behalf, since he almost beat Anwar to death a little over a week later.

And then there was the outrageous claim that Anwar was involved in a murder. The KL rumour mill soon told everyone who the alleged victim was. But during Anwar's trial, Azizan Abu Bakar said that his wife died in a car accident. As the star witness against Anwar, Azizan - like Rahim Noor - would have no reason to lie on Anwar's behalf.

Then there was another accusation, one that involved Anwar and the US and, indirectly, me. As I recall the charge, 50 Reasons said that when Anwar visited the Pentagon, he was given a 19-gun salute. In a wild leap of logic, the author then asked, could Anwar be an American spy?

Such a comment shows the incredible ignorance of the author. To show this, let's take a look at the Defence Ministry in Kuala Lumpur.

When high-ranking foreign visitors come to visit the Defence Minister, they are given military honours. When US Secretary of Defense Bill Cohen visited then-Defence Minister Syed Hamid in 1998, he was given full military honours. Does this make Bill Cohen a "Malaysian spy"?

What stupidity to make such an accusation! Rendering military honours for senior visitors to defence ministries is standard practice around the world. It is expected. In fact, not to render such honours to a distinguished foreign visitor would be a breach of protocol. During my three years in Malaysia I attended countless arrival ceremonies at Parliament Square and at the Defence Ministry where full military honours were offered to visiting VIPs.

Nothing unusual

When Anwar visited the Pentagon on April 16, 1998, he came as deputy prime minister, and was accorded "a full honours arrival". There was nothing unusual about this, a point that the US Defense Department's Protocol Office has confirmed.

As deputy prime minister, Anwar held the same rank as the vice president of the United States. To render such honours to Anwar was a tribute to the position he held, and it was a tribute to Malaysia itself. It reflected the cooperative relationship that exists between the US and Malaysia.

In fact, in a country that is as protocol- and title-conscious as Malaysia, not to have offered these honours to Anwar would have subjected the US to criticism in Malaysia. How ironic - or perhaps it is better to say, how sick - that some people in Malaysia, because of their own political agenda, have tried to turn international protocol into an international conspiracy.

It always struck me as unusual that no one in the Malaysian government or the Malaysian press ever asked us at the US embassy about this. We were prepared to give the truthful answer, and so was the Pentagon. Even when embassy staff members volunteered this information to Malaysian journalists, it was never printed.

Why didn't people want to hear and report the truth?

As for the claim that Anwar was an American agent, I can state categorically that this is absolutely false. Anwar is no more an American spy than Mahathir Mohamed or Khalid Jafri, the 50 Reasons author. But again, no Malaysian government official or journalist ever asked us about this.

Insider story

But let me tell this story - the first personal, "insider" story I have ever told from 31 years in diplomatic service.

Before Anwar was arrested, the rumours started to fly that he would be arrested under the ISA as a national security threat. We heard rumours that the police were trying to claim that a tennis partner of Anwar's was a CIA agent, which we knew was not true.

At that point, I went to a very senior official in the Malaysian government and told him officially, on behalf of my government, that Anwar was not a CIA agent. And if the Malaysian government arrested Anwar and claimed that he was an American agent, we would immediately issue a denial of the strongest order and challenge the Malaysian government to offer any proof to the contrary.

And I bluntly told that individual, who is still in a very high position in the Malaysian government today, that they would be embarrassed because they never would be able to offer any proof to the contrary - because it does not exist.

I then continued. You might have your internal political differences with Anwar. But if you make a false claim against the US, namely, that we have interfered in your internal affairs, and say that someone in your government is an American agent, then you are involving the US, and we will expose it for the lie it is.

He squirmed in his chair.

And to this date, has anyone in Malaysia ever offered any proof to contradict what I said?

No.

And there's a very simple reason why. Because Anwar Ibrahim is not, and never has been, an American agent.

And by telling this story, one will also understand why my final days in Malaysia were so difficult, and why I was the victim of so many sycophantic attacks, often coming from the same people who enjoyed spreading the false charge that Anwar was an American agent.

Dr Goebbels said, tell a lie often enough, and people will start to believe it.

But telling a lie 50 times does not make it a truth.

Good relations

The fact is, Anwar's actions with respect to the US were what one would expect from a responsible leader, someone who understood that it is good for Malaysia to develop and maintain good relations with the country that is:

your number one trading partner
the number one buyer of your exports
the number one investor in your country
the country that has transferred more technology and managerial know-how to you than any other country
the country that has educated over 100,000 of your university graduates, and
the country that trains your military, your police, and your civil servants

In most countries of the world, you work to have good relations with everyone, and especially with the countries that are the most important to your own interests.

Anwar understood this. The world reaction to Anwar's arrest and trials, from the Middle East to neighboring Asean countries, from Oceania to Europe, from the UN to the World Bank, shows how successful Anwar was at developing good relations with the countries and organisations that are important to Malaysia and its future.

In most countries in the world, when you work to improve your country's image and ties overseas, you are praised. In Malaysia, however, people with their own agenda brand you a spy. In most countries, if your actions and rhetoric harm your nation's interests and reputation and isolate you from the world community, you are criticised. In KL, however, your supporters praise your courage.

As the saying goes, "What is wrong with this picture?"

But I remember those final months before I left Malaysia. I remember how many people walked up to me at receptions and dinner parties, and the strangers who would stop me in shopping centres and hotel lobbies and shake my hand, and who whispered in my ear:

"We Malaysians are not stupid. We know what is going on."

Correct on both counts. I know that Malaysians are not stupid, and yes, they do know what is going on. I just wish they were free to say it openly.