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| Subject: Mrs. Anees: Malaysian Politics: An Internal Matter? -- In Response to New Sunday Times Article ____________________________________________________________________________ Source: Direct Submission Email: dranees@klcyber.pc.my (Dr. Munawar A. Anees) URL: http://DrAnees.org Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 16:26:14 +0800 Title: Malaysian politics: An Internal Matter? TEXT: Subj: Malaysian politics: An Internal Matter? Send reply to: Dr. Munawar A. Anees <dranees@klcyber.pc.my Date sent: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 16:05:19 +0800 I would like to react to an article published in NEW SUNDAY TIMES, on October 18, 1998 by A. Kadir Jasin, a columnist with the NEW STRAITS TIMES in Kuala Lumpur. I address this letter to you because I know my letter will never be published by the New Straits Times in Kuala Lumpur. The article, which appears in the column: "Other Thots" is entitled: Respect policy of non-interference. Mr Kadir Jasin argues that whatever has happened on the Malaysian political scene is an internal matter. I do agree with him. Nevertheless, Mr Jasin, I would like to emphasize that if it is an internal matter why did your authorities arrest, humiliate, and sentence two foreign citizens to be used as political pawns in those same internal matters. The moment your authorities have arrested Dr MUNAWAR AHMAD ANEES, a PAKISTANI CITIZEN, and falsely accused him of homosexuality with your Former Deputy Prime Minister, to incriminate the latest, it has become an INTERNATIONAL MATTER. For this simple reason, that the Pakistani Governement has to be involved to protect the rights of its citizen. The Algerian governement has to be involved to extend help and protection to Dr MUNAWAR'S wife who is an Algerian citizen. And the French Governement has to be involved to extend help and protection to his two children who are French citizens. The Malaysian High Commissioner in Pakistan has threatened the Pakistani Press of retaliation if they will not cease writing articles about Dr MUNAWAR Ahmad ANEES' detention in Malaysia. While as a respect for its host country, the Pakistani High Commission in Kuala Lumpur did not even issue a statement to protest against the arbitrary detention of their citizen. I do not want to get involved into any political or moral debate, but I do maintain that the detention of two foreigners in connection with an internal political problem has made it an international issue. By the way, DR MUNAWAR AHMAD ANEES, and SUKMA DARMAWAN (Anwar Ibrahim's adopted brother), have been declared prisoners of conscience by the International human rights organizations. |
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