"It took me a while to figure this out but that is a tack that people who don't know their stuff often use on people who do, to cover up their inadequacies. When people don't know what they are talking about come up against people who do, the former will try and discredit the other by saying that they're unpatriotic or "Western'' or irreligious or whatever negative thing they can think of."

Pretty strong stuff, huh? But I didn't write it. These are the words of Marina Mahathir (photo), the prime minister's daughter, writing in her Sept 6 "Musings" column in The Star .

Marina, as always, gives her opinion in an honest and forthright manner. Not to take anything away from her - she is one of Malaysia's national treasures - but it is a little easier for Marina to write what she thinks, given her "protected status" in Malaysia.

Marina raises two points that are relevant to the current flap over jailed deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's alleged spin doctors in the United States and the claim that they are trying to impose economic sanctions on Malaysia.

First is the tendency to label anyone who disagrees with the official line a traitor. Second is the way that people who "don't know their stuff", as she says, try to discredit the other side by using emotional and negatively-charged words like "unpatriotic" and "Western".

For 30 years I practised diplomacy. The word "diplomacy" comes from the French word "diplomatiques", which means, "the study of documents". A boring subject indeed - studying documents and reading transcripts of what people actually said.

But before you take action, before you write or say something, you need to make sure that you "have done your homework", as the saying goes. Perhaps it seems boring - but it prevents you from making a lot of embarrassing mistakes.

Original report

Over the past few days, we have seen an unfortunate Malaysian phenomenon play itself out once again. Newspaper reporters from the Utusan Melayu , the New Straits Times , and Bernama , among others, have failed to do their homework.

They have misreported what others had to say, specifically whether Anwar supporters are trying to impose economic sanctions against Malaysia. Because of their failure to report the news accurately, we once again see the political powers-that-be in Malaysia lashing out against people for saying and doing things that they never said or did.

So let's go back to the original report, filed by Brendan Pereira, the Malaysia correspondent for the Straits Times of Singapore , a newspaper which, by the way, no one in Malaysia is allowed to buy. My friends in Malaysia therefore have to rely on others to tell them what it says (or you can read it online).

Pereira wrote as follows:

"The Malaysian government believes that hiring (Washington-based lobbyist) JMS is an integral part of a campaign to bring economic and political pressure to bear on the Mahathir administration to pardon and release Anwar. A senior government official said: 'There will be calls to impose sanctions and to boycott Malaysian goods, and there will be pressure to limit foreign direct investment here.'"

Wait a minute! Did you read that carefully? Pereira is not quoting Anwar supporters saying that they want to impose economic sanctions against Malaysia. He is quoting Malaysian government officials speculating that this is what Anwar's supporters will try to do. So it is the government that claims this is the goal of the international effort.

Political backlash

But what did Ezam, Anwar's former political secretary, actually say to Pereira in the Singapore report?

Pereira reports, "He did not think the US or other like-minded countries would impose trade sanctions on Malaysia. If there are sanctions, it will play into Dr Mahathir's hands. The people may rally around him."

This is hardly a call for foreign business to boycott Malaysia. Why would Ezam and the opposition want to do anything that plays into the government's hands?

On Oct 27, the New Straits Times said, "For the Malaysian government, the involvement of a political strategy firm was a sure sign that Anwar's camp want to pile on international pressure to obtain his release from prison. They believe that economic pressure will be employed in the next few months to test the resolve of the Mahathir administration."

Once again, it is the government that is being quoted, not the opposition.

The NST then goes on to repeat Bernama's misreporting on the issue. The article says, "Bernama quoted a Singapore Straits Times report stating that Anwar's supporters had engaged a Washington-based lobby firm to highlight his cause and lobby for economic pressure on Malaysia (sic)."

Actually, as we have seen, the Singapore Straits Times never said that. But why should we expect Bernama or the NST to read the original article? It is "diplomatiques", the boring work of doing your homework before you do or say something.

Now we have the editorialists and spin doctors taking over and commenting on these inaccurate reports. For example, in his "Other Thots" column of Oct 29, Abdul Kadir Jasin (photo) attacks Anwar's supporters, saying that "their lobbying could have detrimental effects on the economy and security of the country. They could sabotage our economy and international standing".

I wonder if Kadir's comments will give Marina the "creepy crawlies?"

Economic sanctions

So what is the real position of opposition leaders in Malaysia towards foreign investment and sanctions?

One Sunday morning in July, I woke up to read my Los Angeles Times , and there was a full-page interview with Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, conducted by Bernard Krisher, a prominent journalist based in Japan.

Krisher asked her: "In Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi said that she opposes foreign investment because it only goes into the pockets of the rulers and does not trickle down to benefit the people. How do you feel about foreign investment in Malaysia?"

Wan Azizah (photo) answered: "I am in favour of anything that improves the economy. I think it is good, even though a big chunk of it will be taken up by the ruling elite. If anything, we must highlight the plight of the oppressed, to alleviate poverty. If there is more to go around, that is better. We have to be pragmatic about it."

Now, when will I read that in Utusan or the New Straits Times , or hear it on RTM or TV3? She said that four months ago.

And just so there is no misunderstanding, what is my own position on foreign investment and sanctions?

I am absolutely opposed to trade and investment sanctions on Malaysia or any country. In the end, it is the people who suffer, whether they are in Malaysia or Iraq or elsewhere. And I hope that more American and foreign investors come to Malaysia.

But whether they do depends on the policies and incentives that the Malaysian government offers to them and the overall environment in which they must operate.

JOHN R MALOTT spent 31 years in the US diplomatic service, including 1995-1998 as Ambassador to Malaysia during the height of Malaysia's political and financial crises. He left government service in 1999 and now lives in California.