People have been saying for a long time that the UMNO Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin is in close touch with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. They say that Khairy has been an admirer of Anwar Ibrahim for a long time since the 1990s and that even the goatee beard that Khairy sports is an imitation of Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar Ibrahim was released from prison quite suddenly under the tenure of Abdullah Badawi, who unfortunately became our Prime Minister for a short time. Abdullah Badawi is the father in law of Khairy Jamaluddin – who definitely exerted significant influence on his father in law. According to Abdullah Badawi, his son in law Khairy was “cerdik”. As we all know Abdullah Badawi was a Class A mor*n.
It became more intriguing when Khairy Jamaluddin undertook to personally deliver Anwar Ibrahim’s passport to him at his house (after Anwar was released from prison).
However it has since been reported in the mainstream media as well as the Online Media that Khairy Jamaluddin has indeed acted as a go-between between Anwar Ibrahim and Abdullah Badawi.
Khairy Jamaluddin has since denied these reports. However todate there have been no denials by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
Here is the report in full from yesterday’s Star: (I must tell the Star that these reports have already been mentioned in the Blogs, for some weeks now).
Cable: Anwar met Ku Li over Putrajaya
KUALA LUMPUR: The failure of his Sept 16, 2008 takeover bid did not deter Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from continuing attempts to claim Putrajaya through crossovers, as he sought to entice Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a leaked United States diplomatic cable said.
The cable added that Anwar’s efforts were “inconclusive” as the Kelantan prince was said to be eyeing the prime minister’s spot himself.
In the cable, US Ambassador James R. Keith told his government that the Opposition Leader had only altered his tone but not his goal or his tactics, and had even stayed in contact with then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi through Khairy Jamaluddin before Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak took over in 2009.
PKR party leaders Tian Chua and R. Sivarasa purportedly confirmed this but added that Anwar had adopted a “lower key approach” after his failed Sept 16 plan.
“The prime minister’s circle — through Khairy — had approached Anwar regarding support for judicial reform measures that would be presented in Parliament soon as part of Abdullah’s parting legacy, according to Sivarasa and Tian Chua.
“The Opposition, however, was unlikely to support these measures because they did not represent meaningful changes.
“Talks with (Tengku) Razaleigh remain inconclusive because Razaleigh continues to insist on the prospective position of prime minister, while PKR estimates that Razaleigh could secure the crossover of only four or five Umno MPs,” said the cable, leaked by whistleblower site WikiLeaks.
Keith said he called on Ku Li on Oct 30, during which the latter also reported that Khairy, now Umno Youth chief, was acting as the go-between for Abdullah and Anwar.
The Malaysian Insider reported that Anwar refuted the report and said his meeting with Kul Li was merely to discuss “political issues.”
Anwar also denied that he contacted Abdullah through Khairy.
Khairy also denied that he met with Anwar to secure the Opposition’s support for Abdullah’s reform legacy.
Khairy, the Rembau MP, told The Malaysian Insider that he “never met Anwar” on behalf of his father-in-law as stated in the cable.
Well obviously the Americans are following everyone and keeping close tabs on everyone. The CIA is busier than ever in Malaysia. Did you know that the US Embassy employs more staff here in Kuala Lumpur now (over 500 people) than they did in Saigon at the height of the Vietnam War? There are also other American secret intelligence organisations operating inside Malaysia. The FBI is here (though they are police and not secret intelligence). The ONI (Naval Intelligence) is definitely here. There are also SEAL teams in Sabah – who once in a while go out and bag an ‘Abu Sayyaf’ villager. Plenty happens around the country.
Back to the story : it is not a crime and neither is it wrong for Khairy to remain in close touch with Anwar Ibrahim. Or for Anwar Ibrahim to maintain contacts with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. Or for the dish to run away with the spoon.
We have also forgotten that Anwar Ibrahim even visited the Prime Minister Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak at his house near Jalan Duta. The Prime Minister confirmed this in a meeting with some of us Bloggers – also at his Jalan Duta residence. So everyone visits everyone. Hooray.
But I think what UMNO Youth should do is ask Khairy Jamaluddin if he is still in touch with Anwar Ibrahim? You know – simple questions like ‘Do you have Anwar Ibrahim’s telephone number?” If yes, then how often do you call him or he calls you or do you sms each other? What do you talk about, other than who is on the cover of Out Magazine or the current price of snakes and slippery eels at the fresh market in Taiping? You know simple questions like that.
However this is not likely to happen because the UMNO Youth leadership is still populated by runny nosed tadika kids whose commitment to the party is tied to how much pocket money they can get to buy their sweets. And many of the UMNO Youth leadership is closely linked to Khairy Jamaluddin.
The Youth Wing needs new faces and new blood. Young people who are intelligent, committed and who are untainted. There are many of them around. The Party has to seek them out quickly. Otherwise it is ‘Club Of Doom’.
