PKR is disappointed that President Barack Obama will not be meeting with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim during his official visit to Malaysia.

Party strategy director Rafizi Ramli said a "strong message" was conveyed to the US State Department last week regarding this matter.

"I didn't ask (for a meeting with Anwar) though I did express in the strongest terms that US' credibility in the eyes of Malaysians will plunge if US is too calculative to push the TPPA (Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement) over democratic principles," he told a press conference today.

Meanwhile, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the US should be concerned about injustice in this region in line with its image of being a defender of democracy and justice.

He claimed that Anwar has been slapped with an "unfair and lopsided" sodomy conviction.

Citing the results of the last general election, Saifuddin said the Obama administration must realise that the majority of Malaysians supported Anwar.

"The Najib administration got 47 percent of the popular votes while Pakatan Rakyat received 52 percent," he added.

Meeting with civil society leaders

In a statement issued today, the US embassy in Malaysia said Obama is scheduled to meet young leaders from Asean and Malaysian civil society leaders during his two-and a half day official visit beginning Saturday.

The embassy said this is the first US presidential visit after Lyndon B Johnson during the 1960s.

After an arrival ceremony on Saturday, Obama would have a royal audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and then attend a state dinner.

On Sunday, Obama is scheduled to visit the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur and hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. After which, there would be a press conference.

Following this, Najib and Obama would attend the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creative Centre Malaysia.

Obama would then have a town hall session with young leaders from Southeast Asia where young people from 10 Asean member countries have been invited. Following that, Obama is expected to launch the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative.

The US president would then meet local civil society leaders in the evening before flying to the Philippines on Monday morning.

Obama's visit has already been criticised by Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) as extending US economic hegemony with the enforcement of the TPPA.

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