Former Selangor executive councilor Ronnie Liu is puzzled as to how discussions over seeking freedom for incarcerated PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim can be equated to inviting foreign intervention into the country.

This is after PAS organ Harakahdaily published a commentary accusing DAP of opening the doors to foreign intervention when it lobbied the United States to push for Anwar's freedom.

"There is nothing wrong with having discussions about Anwar as a political prisoner.

"It shouldn't be seen as inviting foreigners to intervene in our country. It shouldn't be interpreted that way," Liu, who was DAP's Pandamaran assemblyperson, told Malaysiakini.

Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Institut Kajian Politik Malaysia director Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, in his commentary, cited a report in PKR’s organ Suara Keadilan which quoted Liu as having admitted that he met with US political counselor Tressa Finerty to discuss freeing Anwar from jail.

The Otai Reformis movement, of which Liu is an activist, had submitted a memorandum to the US embassy urging that it keep up the pressure for the release of Anwar as well as to help him seek medical attention abroad.

Anwar’s daughter Nurul Nuha was also present when the memorandum was submitted to the US embassy.

Otai Reformis is a group of political activists who were active in the 1998 Reformasi movement.

'Why pick on me?'

Liu argued that it was normal for NGO and political leaders, including those from Umno and PAS, to meet foreign embassy representatives and ambassadors.

"It's quite a normal practice. I think PAS leaders also do that quite often.

"So there's nothing wrong for me as an NGO leader as well, as well as MPs from PKR and DAP to meet (foreign embassy representatives)."

As such, Liu questioned why he was the only one blamed in the matter.

"There are so many people meeting these various ambassadors. Why pick on me?

"It's also very malicious for them to view my action as asking the Americans to intervene in our country. They simply want to make accusations (which are) very immature."

He also pointed out that he was not there on behalf of the DAP and was instead representing Otai Reformis.

"But they chose to ignore my position as the representative of Otai Reformis. The whole world knows I was there together with family members of Anwar and other Otai repsentatives and didn't go as a DAP leader.

"But even if I went as a DAP leader there is nothing wrong with it. It is DAP's position to want Anwar to be free; we all want Anwar to be free."

On Tuesday, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang launched a broadside against DAP, accusing the party of negotiating with foreign powers to influence Malaysian politics.

He said this in defending PAS' move to negotiate with Umno on syariah law.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng then demanded Abdul Hadi provide evidence to back his claim.

DAP Youth chief Wong Kah Woh had also lodged a police report against Abdul Hadi, accusing him of lying.