Powell to discuss political detainees with Mahathir
updated version Visiting US secretary of state Colin Powell will raise with the government a number of issues relating to former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim and the detention of six reformasi activists, including five Keadilan leaders, under the Internal Security Act.
This was conveyed to Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail in a 50-minute breakfast meeting this morning by US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly, who is part of the delegation with Powell that arrived in Malaysia late yesterday for a 24-hour visit.
Also at the breakfast meeting were state assemblyperson for Hulu Kelang and Keadilan vice-president Azmin Ali, US ambassador Marie T Huhtala and three other US officials.
"We also discussed matters on human rights, democracy and political detainees and he (Kelly) had informed me that these matters will be among the issues to be discussed between Powell and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad," said Wan Azizah, who is also Anwar's wife.
She said Kelly also expressed his concern on the incarceration and deteriorating health conditions of Anwar and the detention of Keadilan and reformasi activists now held in the Kamunting Detention Centre in Perak.
Anwar, serving 15 years' jail sentence for corruption and sodomy, is suffering from chronic back ache and has requested for surgery overseas which was denied by the government.
The US government had criticised the sacking of Anwar and his subsequent jailing, and had labelled him as a political prisoner.
Terrorism talk
She said the parties also discussed the war on terrorism. Azizah said that while Keadilan supported the war against terrorism, fundamental issues such as human rights, democracy, good governance and freedom of speech should not take a back seat in the eagerness to fight terrorism.
"We also highlighted the sentiment of the people of Malaysia that the campaign against terrorism in Malaysia unfortunately is being exploited by Mahathir as a pretext to unleash a new wave of oppression against his political opponents," she added.
In response, Kelly (
right
) reiterated that human rights will always anchor the foreign policy of the US in all their meetings with Malaysian leaders, Azizah said.
She said Kelly also re-emphasised that the US Patriot Act was unlike Malaysia's ISA. He stressed that the two were completely different and that the US did not accept the Malaysian government's position that the Patriot Act imitates the ISA.
Huhtala also pointed out that those who organised and participate in political rallies should not be placed under ISA detention as Malaysia is a democracy, added Azizah.
Powell is scheduled to meet both Mahathir and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also home minister, this morning.
When contacted, Azmin told malaysiakini that the meeting was "fruitful" and he was glad that Kelly and the US delegation had shown such concern over the human rights situation in Malaysia and Anwar.
"In the meeting the delegates expressed their uneasiness over the human rights situation in Malaysia and also said that they have not forgotten about Anwar," he said.
Azmin added that both sides would continue to meet in future.
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