Anwar Ibrahim - Media buyer

Embroiled in his own 'media buying' conspiracy, Anwar Ibrahim is now trying to insinuate that Prime Minister Najib Razak has done the same in using dubious PR companies as well as the Washington Times in giving his visit to the US more prominence during the month of April 2010.

In a blog posting published in his blog, written by Malaysiakini's Stephen Gan, it was said that the Prime Minister's Office had a hand in paying PR Firm, The Laurus Group USD15,000.00 which was in turned paid to QGA. It was claimed that QGA was supposed to have a major newspaper print a prepared article purportedly by the PMO.

In recent months, Anwar has come under severe scrutiny by the US press on his role in anti US and Israel protest as well as allegations that the Malaysian government was infiltrated by Israel agents. This has increased criticisms against Anwar given his close relationship with former key Bush-era officials. Anwar was the Chairman of The Foundation of the Future, a group which was a brainchild of former VP of US Dick Cheney, and had his daughter Elizabeth as a Deputy Director of the Foundation.

In his half baked attempt at apologising for his own debacle, Anwar had embarked on a whirlwind apology tour to his friend and obvious supporter. It was Paul Wolfowitz who had gotten Anwar the position of Chairman at the Foundation of the Future, a move that will eventually see him resigning as President of the world bank after revelations that he had himself gotten his girlfriend Shah Riza a position in the same foundation.

Anwar had in the past accused APCO for being an Israeli outfit, complete with Mossad agents, and when that failed, he had tried to pin all kinds of accusations against Najib. Around the blogs, much has been said about Anwar's interview over CNN, that even the US press picked up and accused CNN of playing up to Anwar, and planting the interview.

So, in perfect Anwar style, the same is now lobbed over to Najib's court. This is the Anwar that we know, one that passes the buck.

Before he was convicted of corruption and sodomy, Anwar had openly voiced his intention to tackle the Asian financial crisis a-la IMF way. It was a move that would send his boss, Tun Mahathir to react the way he did which eventually drew the wrath of IMF (with currency control mechanisms that Mahathir introduced) but had more importantly taken Malaysia through a very patchy time, unlike her neighbours, Thailand, Indonesia and Phillipines which until today still suffer from the stining effects of that crisis in the late 90's.

Here is a man which anti government supporters are rounting for, one that has shown if anything, inconsistencies in his position as former Education and Finance Minister. Here is a man who has sat proudly on the chair of a Foundation, knowing well that the USD35 million that it had was from the US government, and yet knowing so, is hell bent on attacking it simply because Najib is now becoming a friend of Obama's policies.

But all this really is inconsequential. What is most disgusting is Anwar's nonchalant ways in upholding Malaysia's pride, so much so, that his many trips abroad had always only one mission - to bring Malaysia down, so that he can be seen as a hero once again to the people who had long thought of him as a two faced lizard. - PJ Moorthy , MI