FOR a while, there was unity and tolerance in the Dewan Rakyat as Malaysian MPs portray themselves as friends of the Palestinians in Gaza over the MV Mavi Marmara tragedy on May 31.

They spoke with one heart for Malaysia in condemning the atrocities of Israeli militants that left at least nine humanitarian activists dead aboard the Gaza-bound ship.

Ironically, the resolution urging the world community to renounce the Israeli raid and hijacking of the ship came a day before Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim was due to explain his stand that the 1Malaysia slogan promoted by the Barisan Nasional government was taken from the
Zionist regime's One Israel campaign.

The august House is set to be divided again when the issue takes the spotlight this week.

Triggered intense interest

The focal point of Anwar's argument is that Apco Worldwide, the international public relations corporation chosen by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to re-brand Malaysia's image overseas, is the same company that had worked on the Israeli campaign.

Anwar, who made the allegations in a speech in the Dewan Rakyat on March 17, said the PM's 1Malaysia concept is just an imitation of Ehud Barak’s One Israel stunt.

Further, alleged Anwar, the Malaysian police had engaged the services of former Israeli agents for an information and communication project in the force.

Anwar's remarks and Apco's subsequent denial have triggered intense interest and the parliamentary rights and privileges committee is scheduled to start its inquiry Tuesday into the government's claim that the de facto PKR chief had misled the House in making the
accusation.

Needless to say, Anwar’s political career is at stake in the issue. His defence will have to make sense to the privileges committee, which has to give its recommendations to the House for the ultimate decision.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia heads the committee, with members comprising deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee and MPs  Dr Fong Chan Onn (BN-Alor Gajah), Razali Ibrahim (BN-Muar), Nancy Shukri (BN-Batang Sadong) and R Sivarasa (PKR-Subang).

Longtime US ally

Anwar had long been an ally of the United States, the strongest supporter of the Israel’s Zionist regime.

 There appears to be a fallout recently, however, that made Anwar more vocal against the US, particularly in matters pertaining to its ties with Israel.

During the mass protest march in Kuala Lumpur after the Mavi Marmara incident, Anwar was at the head of the crowd to lead a delegation into the US Embassy to hand over a petition demanding the administration of Barack Obama to denounce the raid.

He had not shown such “unfriendliness” in the past to Obama’s predecessors or their followers.

 "Indeed, as recently as 2008, Al Gore (former vice president) -- usually a savvy and perceptive man -- could be found posting on his blog in defence of Anwar's dignity in the face of criticism,” wrote Rachel Motte in The New Ledger, an American web publication which publishes
right-of-centre opinions.

'"That's big-name Western approval one can't buy -- but one can work hard for it with the right enemies and media outreach inside the
Beltway (a phrase that is used to characterise parts of the real or imagined American political system and is named after the interstate
highways that encircle Washington DC, the American capital)."

Motte also noted that Anwar had cultivated relations with influential Jewish Americans when he was invited to lecture at the John Hopkins School of Advanced Studies after his release from prison about 10 years ago.

 Besides John Hopkins, Anwar had also been connected to the Foundation Of Future and  the New Endownment For Democracy (NED), organizations deemed Israeli-friendly.

 Criticised for forgetting 'old friends'

“If one were to ask a well-informed American as to who the liberal democrat was in Malaysia between 1999 and 2009, he or she might well have said,  "Anwar Ibrahim."

"But does Anwar Ibrahim's portrayal of himself outside Malaysia match Anwar Ibrahim's actions within his own country?" Motte questioned.

Following his outburst against the Malaysian government's appointment of Apco, The New Ledger criticised Anwar for forgetting his "old friends" in the US.

Motte said: "Anwar had effectively trashed his old friends in Washington and had used the Apco contract as an excuse to spin a dark conspiracy theory of Jewish control, Zionist plots, and subversion in Malaysia."

 With such an interesting theory, the inquiry into Anwar’s claims that 1Malaysia = One Israel, is expected to bring some fresh and dramatic twists and turns about an alleged RM70mil that the government had paid to Apco to rebuild the country’s image overseas.

 And, yes, the inquiry is likely to also provide an insight about how Malaysia’s integrity had soured abroad and what – or who – were responsible for the need now to do some damage control of the country’s image.

 Another question, if Malaysia’s image had been so badly tattered, battered and torn  – as claimed by many quarters - is RM70mil, or whatever sum, enough to patch up its broken dignity in the eyes of the world?

 And if it was another company, not Apco, that was given the task to rebuild Malaysia’s so-called spoilt image, would it fare any better since there are already  people bent on demonizing their own country.

 Unless Anwar can give the answers, more questions will surface. —Malaysian Mirror

SHAH A DADAMEAH is senior editor with the Malaysian Mirror.