Supporters of Anwar are engaging in economic sabotage by going overseas and smearing the country and its leaders, say Umno officials
KUALA LUMPUR -- Umno and government leaders have accused supporters of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim of engaging in economic sabotage against the country by smearing Malaysia abroad.
Umno Youth chief Datuk Hishamuddin Tun Hussein was even more blunt. An Utusan Malaysia report yesterday quoted him as calling them ""traitors''.
Their comments came amid reports that supporters of the former deputy premier had smeared the country in a coordinated campaign abroad and that they had also engaged a Washington-based public-affairs and political-strategy firm, Janus Merrit Strategy (JMS), to keep Anwar's jailing high on the international agenda.
Parti Keadilan Nasional youth chief Ezam Mohamed Noor was quoted by the Malay daily as saying on Wednesday that he was involved in the campaign against the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in the United States and Europe.
According to Utusan Malaysia, the campaign involved organising protests and demonstrations against Dr Mahathir and other leaders when they visited the US and Europe.
The Malaysian government believes that hiring 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.
Mr Ezam was quoted as saying that Keadilan president, Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, had campaigned in Australia. Vice-president Tian Chua had done the same in South Korea while information chief Ruslan Kassim had spoken to Malaysian students in Britain.
He said the target groups included students, politicians and foreign investors.
Datuk Hishamuddin said that Anwar's supporters had been disloyal by discrediting Malaysia abroad.
He said Dr Mahathir was elected by the people and that the opposition's campaign against the Malaysian leader was tantamount to ""disrespect'' of the voters who elected the premier.
""Their actions are enough evidence to show to the people the credibility of the opposition leaders,'' he added.
Meanwhile, the Senators Club has also described the campaign as economic sabotage against Malaysia aimed at discouraging foreign direct investment from coming into the country.
Its president, Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, said in Kuantan: ""They did the same thing before the last general election to secure political support from the neighbouring countries.
""They succeeded then. Now they are trying to embark on a new strategy to erode investors' confidence in Malaysia
""We believe they have been successful as there is a decline in investor interest in the country.''
Datuk Abdul Aziz said the club felt that to check these activities, the government should take stern action against those involved, even to the extent of repossessing their travel documents.
""To us it is economic sabotage and there should be no compromise in dealing with them.''
Umno vice-president, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, said Mr Ezam and his supporters were trying to put international pressure on the country's leaders and gaining sympathy for their struggle.
Datuk Najib, who is defence minister, said it was wrong for anyone to go abroad and smear their country's leaders.
