YOURSAY ‘If anyone is going to save this country, it will not be Obama...’
Obama beats around the bush on Anwar
Mushiro: US President Barack Obama is concerned that his comments and interference will have an adverse impact on democracy - what a hypocrite when the US has been interfering in so many countries and supporting regimes which are against democracy.
In Malaysia's case, democracy is half-dead as seen from our lack of fairness in elections, frauds, rigging, etc. Many of our opposition leaders are threatened, arrested and persecuted for their political activities.
So for Obama to avoid commenting on the injustices in Malaysia is not promoting democracy, but promoting a despotic and corrupt regime.
Kim Quek: Najib Abdul Razak is allegedly an obedient US stooge, so why should Obama say anything that is unfavourable to his stooge?
History has shown that the US, despite its incessant righteous rhetoric on democracy and liberty and all that, has never acted to defend these values except when it is physically attacked like in World War Two.
On the other hand, there are numerous examples of US courting and supporting corrupt tyrants to advance its political and military interests.
So, it would be naïve to expect a glib US president like Obama to speak up against the cruelty and injustice inflicted on former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim by the Najib leadership.
Multi Racial: How can the leader of the ‘Land of the Free’ give such a pathetic answer?
How can the US preach about democracy and be the leader of the democratic world if their own president is reluctant to speak out against the wrongs against our opposition leader and is afraid to offend Malaysia's government.
Anonymous_1423808262: Obama is the ‘Najib equivalent’ of the USA - one whose tenure sees the world becoming an increasingly dangerous place to live, and the other takes his country to the precipice of a failed state.
The Analyser: If anyone is going to save this country it will not be Obama, it will be Malaysians. You know, those miserably selfish autocratic money-grubbing people who care nothing about their country.
All they care about is how much money they can make for themselves, and keep for themselves.
Spinnot: Whether it's a Republican or Democratic US president, whether it's Obama or any other president, it would have been the same as it's US' national interests that come first. The only issue with Obama is that he had promised "change" in his election campaign.
Anticonmen: During his first inauguration speech, Obama said, "To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
Now Obama is not willing to say to his friend Najib that he is on the wrong side of history.
Rep expected Obama to be a bit more tough
Fairplayer: I agree with Damansara Utama assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin that we must continue to fight our own battle to promote democracy and freedom, with or without US support.
Anonymous #20513663: Obama was 'poorly advised' in making his statement. The US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur may need to step up intelligence-gathering and/or White House briefings.
The result of this stance is that the US (and most Western countries) are now alienating their 'natural allies' in Malaysia, i.e. the segment of the population which believes in democracy, civil liberties and human rights.
When the change of regime happens, the US will not be in the good books of the new government. Nor much of civil society. Nor the more conservatives elements in society (whose sympathy there is no way to win no matter what they do). Same goes for many Western countries.
But of course the new government will have to 'play nice', whatever their private judgement of Obama and friends, as we are a small country. Maybe they are banking on that.
CQ Muar: Way to go, Yeo Bee Yin. You did well. At the very least, we now know where we stand in terms of US support, which they often claim to be pro-democracy and freedom advocates.
As this will be Obama's final term, let's hope a more liberal and democratic president will head the nation.
Anonymous #20513663: Obama cannot be tough. He doesn't have much time left to get the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) signed.
According to reports, he may even be putting pressure on his own State Department to get Malaysia off the human trafficking blacklist so that the TPPA can be signed.
He thinks that by getting the TPPA signed, he'll leave a 'legacy' after failing to do anything of real impact/importance during his term in office. If he succeeds, he will indeed leave a legacy, but someone should tell him that it will be a negative one.
Blobfishface: Obama has been touted as a messianic leader for change, but as soon as he got into the White House the rot quickly set in and he became like almost all his predecessors, a public relations front for entrenched corporate and banking interests who worship the bottom line and only ever pay lip service to noble ideals.
Anonymous_1371508752: I didn't expect much from Obama and I was not disappointed.
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