Malaysia's On-Going Gay Sex Scandal

[Guest fountainhall]

From time to time this Board has featured articles about KL and Malaysia. I have written before how over the years I have found KL very cruisy, despite it being a predominantly Muslim country and the occasional raids on some gay venues (mostly saunas and massage places) that we read about.

 

Yet, the whole issue of homosexuality has been discussed by Malaysians far more often in the last 11 years than was ever the case before. The reason is a long running sexual saga which looks like it will soon come to a second climax. It involves high political figures and allegations of homosexuality. So far, it has received scant attention on this Board.

 

In 1998, one of the most visible and powerful politicians in the country was Anwar Ibrahim, the Deputy and hand-picked successor to long-serving Prime Minister, Dr. Mahatir Mohammed. As Finance Minister, Anwar had steered Malaysia through the economic crisis, often adopting policies that were in conflict with those of Mahatir. He also launched an attack on the culture of nepotism and cronyism with the ruling UMNO party, thus angering his boss. Worse for Mahatir, as part of the economic crisis austerity package, Anwar ordered cancellations of the mega-projects that were Mahatir’s favourite babies (KL having the tallest building in the world, KL having the first Formula 1 race track in Asia, etc.). The father-son relationship between the two men rapidly degenerated.

 

In a move that stunned Malaysia and much of the rest of the world, later in 1998 Mahatir sacked and disowned him. Within days, Anwar was arrested and subsequently tried and jailed on two counts – six years for corruption and another nine years for sodomy. A married man with six children, there had – as far as I am aware – been no earlier suggestions that Anwar had any homosexual or bisexual inclinations. True or not, it was a highly convenient way for the powers-that-be to take someone now seen as dangerous out of the political succession stakes. On television, Mahatir openly accused him of sodomy even as the trial was progressing. At the same time, Anwar said in court the reason the case was lodged against him was “I objected to the use of massive public funds to rescue the failed businesses of his (Mahathir's) children and cronies."

 

In September 2004, after serving 5 years in jail, Anwar won his second appeal against the sodomy conviction. Banned from standing for parliament, Anwar’s wife formed a new party which quickly won a lot of public support and eventually some parliamentary seats. As the effective leader of an opposition to UMNO which had virtually ruled Malaysia since independence, Anwar was clearly perceived as a continuing threat. Then in 2008, one of Anwar’s young aides lodged a complaint with the police that he had also been sodomised by his boss. The whole merry-go-round was then set in motion once again. This time, though, those determined to kill off Anwar as a political force had learned some lessons, for now there is DNA evidence - real or manufactured. Anwar’s second sodomy trial started in February last year and is still underway. One reason for its length, according to outside observers, is that the Judge seems clearly biased towards the authorities, having turned down endless requests for the defense to be permitted to introduce witnesses and to have access to certain alleged evidence.

 

Perhaps Mahatir, who resigned in 2003 as Malaysia’s longest serving Prime Minister, reckoned that using the sodomy card would be a quick and effective way of getting rid of a pesky troublesome Deputy. Who knows? The result has been almost the opposite. Anwar is seen by many as a tragic figure who will be hounded by UMNO and the government until they feel he has no support left. Given that Anwar has threatened to call the present Prime Minister and his wife as witnesses, and the certainty of whoever wins appealing against the judgment, this case will go on for years. But by keeping the sodomy and homosexuality debate front and centre, it seems clear - from a distance - that Anwar has become a talisman for a gay and lesbian movement that is slowly becoming much more vocal

 

The international media love this story. They pounced on the issue of a sex video that ‘surfaced’ in April and allegedly involving Anwar. That it is genuine is a matter of debate. That it was exposed by enemies of Anwar seems certain. And then there is Mahatir who still cannot hide his loathing of his one-time protégé, the only Malaysian ever to have been included in Time magazine’s list of Most Influential People. In 2008, when asked about the possibility of Anwar ever becoming the next prime minister, Mahathir responded: "He would make a good Prime Minister… of Israel."

[Guest fountainhall]

Anwar

[Guest fountainhall]

In what is regarded as an extraordinary move, Malaysia's Supreme Court has delivered a 'Not Guilty' verdict in the sodomy case against former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim. The trial may only have lasted two years, but the accusations of sodomy go way back to 1998 when he fell out with then Prime Minster Dr. Mahatir Mohammed. Many felt that Mahatir had masterminded a campaign to denigrate his Deputy and ensure that he played no further role in the political life of the nation.

 

In what can not be a coincidence, after being freed on appeal in 2004 after serving five years in prison, he was rearrested on a separate charge in the aftermath of elections in 2008 when Mr. Anwar's party made sweeping gains. This verdict comes ahead of elections due in 2013 but widely expected to be called later this year.

 

Mr Anwar had been accused of having sex with a former male aide. He had faced up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.

 

But the judge said that there were questions over whether DNA evidence had been contaminated.

 

The verdict was greeted with cheers from Mr Anwar's supporters, wife and daughters

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16463989

 

The present government, which must be somewhat shell-shocked, is putting s spin on the verdict by calling it a boost for the reforms being introduced by the present Prime Minister Najib Razak. If unhindered by further accusations and court cases, there must be every chance that Anwar's party - or at least a coalition led by him - will stand a good chance of winning the forthcoming election.

 

One man who will be aghast at the verdict will no doubt be the increasingly bitter Mahatir!

[Guest]

Going off at a slight tangent, I thought Malaysia was a "Moslem state which respects the right of the individual to follow any other religion".

 

Now banning homosexuality looks rather like imposing the views of certain religions on the remainder of the population, which somewhat dilutes the concept of religious freedom.

[Guest fountainhall]

I

[Guest snapshot]

The present government, which must be somewhat shell-shocked, is putting s spin on the verdict by calling it a boost for the reforms being introduced by the present Prime Minister Najib Razak. If unhindered by further accusations and court cases, there must be every chance that Anwar's party - or at least a coalition led by him - will stand a good chance of winning the forthcoming election.

I haven't read any of the above but upon reading the headlines, but my thoughts as to what really happened are...

 

- May as well acquit him now because...

 

- We've done enough damage to Anwar, burying him in this scandal for two years etc.

 

- Wouldn't really be reasonable to convict him. Backlash might be too high.

 

- So let's acquit him as it will make us look good now. We can boast about the independence of the judicial system etc.

 

Of course, this doesn't factor in that the acquittal might have damaged the government's reputation. What do you think?

 

Newspapers in Asia are full of detailed descriptions about semen taken from the handsome young man's anus... no doubt engrossing their readers hahahaha.

[Guest fountainhall]

We've done enough damage to Anwar, burying him in this scandal for two years etc.

 

Scandal has been heaped upon him since 1998, he has spent 5 years in prison, been beaten up by a police chief who then had to apologise etc. Yet, he still is one of the most popular politicians in the country! I'll bet Dr. Mahathir is squirming at the latest turn of events!

[sharon1]

Hi, seems like dirty business, but the young guy sure is eye candy.