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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Foreign Minister Rais Yatim Friday demanded
the United States stop “interfering” in an investigation into
sodomy allegations against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Thursday
urged Malaysia to ensure a “transparent” investigation into the
sexual misconduct allegations against Anwar—the same charge that
saw him jailed a decade ago.
“Whatever others say from outside Malaysia is
irrelevant. Ultimately, it is the decision of Malaysians that will
be counted in this case,” Rais Yatim told Agence France-Presse.
“Anwar may have many friends overseas to prop
him up for his image and for his present situation but Malaysia has
its own laws and domestic constitution,” he said.
“The US has got this larger-than-life image in
assuming the position as policemen of the world. They want to
project this all along but they have to stop interfering and making
comments such as these,” the minister said.
“After a certain point, if they keep
interfering with the internal affairs of other countries, then the
US has got to answer to the big question of responsibility and
whether they have the jurisdiction to do that, as powerful as they
may be,” he said.
Malaysia has accused the US of meddling in its
internal affairs by raising concerns over Anwar’s arrest last
week.
Rice, however, said the US would continue to
speak out on cases involving human rights and politics although it
did so “in a spirit of respect for Malaysia.”
Three former world leaders—former Canadian
prime minister Paul Martin, ex-World Bank chief James Wolfensohn and
Michel Camdessus, the former head of the International Monetary
Fund—also urged the sodomy allegations be dropped.
They also reiterated their “full
confidence,” in Anwar’s moral integrity.
Anwar spent a night in custody last week after
being arrested over accusations that he sodomized a 23-year-old male
aide. He was released on bail and must report back to police on
August 18.
The allegations threaten to derail Anwar’s
spectacular political comeback, after March elections that handed
the opposition a third of parliamentary seats.
He has said he plans to seize power soon with
the help of government defectors.
Anwar was sacked as deputy premier in 1998 and
jailed for six years on corruption and sodomy charges.
The sex conviction was overturned by the
nation’s highest court in 2004.
-- AFP
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