SO WHAT! AT LEAST ANWAR CAN STEP FOOT IN SAUDI, UNLIKE HADI WHO’S BEEN BANNED – VERY LIKELY ANWAR MISSED MEETING SAUDI KING DUE TO FOUL-UPS BY HIS BLUNDERING ANWARISTA APPOINTEES OR A VENGEFUL ‘DEEP STATE’ AT WISMA PUTRA – WHICHEVER, THE ATTACKS FROM PN & THE LIKES OF KHAIRY ARE TOO IMMATURE TO WASTE TIME DEFENDING – THEIR CRITICISM IS INSINCERE & ALL ABOUT TRYING TO CATCH THE ‘MALAY VOTE’ FOR THEMSELVES – BUT MALAY VOTERS SHOULD BE SAVVY ENOUGH TO SEE THROUGH THE CHILDISH PLAY, WHICH EVEN INCLUDED A PROPOSED ‘EMERGENCY MOTION’ – MALAYS SHOULD UP THE ANTE & DEMAND PN-PAS-KHAIRY TO EXPLAIN THE WASTE OF TIME ON POLEMICS THAT BRING EVEN LESS FRUITS FOR THE ECONOMY, RACE & NATION THAN ANWAR’S VISIT, WHICH STILL BORE SOME ‘FRUITS’ – REMEMBER ISMAIL SABRI’S DEBACLE IN DUBAI WHERE THE EX-PM ALMOST HAD TO CARRY HIS OWN SUITCASES?
Attacks on Anwar’s Saudi visit are ‘all about Malay votes’
An analyst says the opposition is making political use of the prime minister’s failure to meet King Salman Abdulaziz and crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.
PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional’s attacks on Anwar Ibrahim over his Saudi Arabia visit are to create doubt among Malay-Muslim voters about Anwar’s standing as a leader of an Islamic nation, according to a political analyst.
Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said PN was trying to portray to Malay-Muslim voters that Anwar’s failure to obtain an audience with the Saudi king and crown prince meant that he had not won the respect of the Saudi rulers.
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“What is happening is that there is competition between the Saudi royal family and Erdogan to be seen as the leader of the Muslim world,” he said.
Azmi said Pakatan Harapan had also suffered a negative perception among voters in 2018 because of Dr Mahathir Mohammad’s strained relationship with his Saudi counterpart.
“PN is trying to paint an image that Anwar is not getting the respect of Riyadh, which is considered as the symbol of the Islamic world and also known as the guardian of Mecca,” he told FMT.
He said PH could counter the attacks by explaining convincingly why the meeting between the top leaders did not take place.
Anwar has been under criticism for failing to meet with King Salman Abdulaziz or crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is the Saudi prime minister.
Azmi said PN would play up the lack of an audience as a sign that Anwar is not recognised as a leader of a Muslim nation.
Awang Azman said the only way for Anwar to counter his critics would be to ensure he meets the Saudi leaders during his next visit to give a positive image of his leadership as prime minister.
“If King Salman and the crown prince come to visit Malaysia, Anwar’s image in the eyes of Malay-Muslim voters will be positive,” he said.
On Sunday, an aide of Anwar brushed off criticism from the opposition which attempted to paint the visit as a failure and a waste of public funds.
Ahmad Farhan Fauzi said Anwar’s three-day visit was “fruitful” and had strengthened bilateral ties between both nations.
Farhan also said the prime minister had a tight schedule which meant that he was unable to meet with other leaders of the Saudi Arabian government.
However, the prime minister held a meeting with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the World Muslim League in Mecca.
PM’s Saudi visit a ‘huge diplomatic blunder’, says KJ
He also said Anwar Ibrahim’s failure to meet with his Saudi counterpart was not only an embarrassment to the prime minister but also to everyone in Malaysia.
PETALING JAYA: Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has described Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Saudi Arabia as a “huge diplomatic blunder”.
Khairy said this was because Anwar failed to meet with Saudi monarch King Salman Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the Saudi Arabian prime minister.
“He should not have visited Saudi Arabia if a meeting with King Salman or Prince Mohammed bin Salman (crown prince) was not set,” Khairy said in an episode of the “Keluar Sekejap” podcast with Shahril Hamdan.
He said typically, a prime minister would not visit another country unless a meeting with their counterpart had been scheduled.
The former Rembau MP also said Anwar’s failure to meet with his Saudi counterpart was embarrassing, as Saudi Arabia was an important partner.
“Saudi Arabia plays an important role in the (Middle Eastern) region and there are many opportunities for business and investment there,” he said.
Yesterday, Bersatu’s Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal urged Anwar to explain how Malaysia benefitted from his official visit to Saudi Arabia.
Anwar’s political secretary Ahmad Farhan Fauzi has said the prime minister’s visit was “fruitful” and had strengthened bilateral ties between both nations.
On Anwar’s failure to meet his counterpart, Farhan said the Saudi Arabian government had wanted Anwar to extend his trip so that he could meet Saudi leaders. However, Anwar had to turn down the offer as he had prior engagements. FMT
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