When some Asean governments voiced their dissatisfaction with the way former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim was victimised and politically destroyed, the Malaysian cabinet responded a number of times, Syed Hamid included, to tell them to mind its own business.

I recall Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad saying that he was disappointed at the way some Asean countries interfered in our local affairs, adding that he now knew who were our friends, and who were not.

Anwar is beyond doubt a political prisoner, especially since Dr Mahathir said the fate of Anwar rests with the new Umno leadership. Not the judiciary, mind you, which makes it not a criminal case but a political one. It is plain for all to see that Dr Mahathir and Umno had every intent to destroy Anwar politically.

The military junta in Burma says that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is in protective custody. So they were not clever enough to charge her with a sex offence and corruption to legitimise the detention, and her perpetrators wear military uniform. Other than that what makes Anwar's detention any different from that of Aung San Suu Kyi?

The Malaysian people and the Asean population would like to know why the Malaysian government is pressuring the Burmese government to release Suu Kyi, when in its own backyard there is Anwar Ibrahim.

As Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said: "Now not only is Myanmar questioned, but Asean is questioned." The same applies to Malaysia.

The government of Burma should say, please remove the beam in your own eye before you tell me about the speck in mine.