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Wan Azizah urges rights
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Wan Azizah urges rights
KUALA LUMPUR -- Asean should review
its non-interference policy and take a more
active and collective role in advocating
universal values such as human rights and
justice, the wife of ousted Malaysian deputy
prime minister Anwar Ibrahim says.
Those universal values are ''borderless''
and their absence could affect regional
prosperity, stability, peace and harmony,
said Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who has
taken an active political role following the
sudden sacking of her husband in early
September and his subsequent arrest on
charges of corruption and sexual
misconduct.
Her message on Wednesday, in an
interview with The Nation, was directed
towards leaders of the nine Asean
countries who were split in their collective
and individual response to the on-going
Malaysian political tension. Although
Filipino President Joseph Estrada and
Indonesian President Bacharuddin Jusuf
Habibie strongly criticised the Malaysian
government for the arrest of their friend
Anwar, other Asean countries avoided any
comment, citing the Asean non-interference
policy.
The ophthalmologist, who abandoned her
professional career after Anwar assumed
the deputy premiership, suggested a
distinction between interference in personal
affairs and interference in universal values,
saying that she wanted to see ''a more
vocal [Asean] engagement'' in Anwar's
plight. She strongly believed in her
husband's innocence, saying that his
political downfall was the result of his
attempts to protect public funds from
abuse.
''You speak about justice, universal values
and human rights -- that's not interference to
me. Because those values are borderless,''
she said.
''We live in a global society, especially
Asean, we are neighbours. So whatever
affects the region should be collectively
seen. That's how I would like to see Asean
move as we talk about regional prosperity,
regional stability and regional peace and
harmony.''
Wan Azizah said she believes ''Asean
could do a little bit more'' when asked if she
was happy with the grouping's position on
Anwar's plight.
Wan Azizah was not afraid to speak out in
favour of her husband's call for political
reforms despite a police restriction order.
She could be arrested if she actively
participated in any anti-government
demonstration. Despite, the official threat,
she was seen at key demonstrations last
month where she greeted the crowd from a
car.
She said the official threats of arrest have
not impeded her activities and she has not
violated any laws in her public appearances
and activities, including meetings with
people and journalists, in order to get her
message across.
''Well, I have been talking to you so that I
can get my message across. I have not
been stopped,'' she said. ''I'm not worried
that I will be arrested because I haven't
broken any law.''
She said she believes in her husband's
innocence and is preparing for the worst
but hoping for the best. ''He has not been
found guilty so why should I think about it
[future role],'' she said.
When asked if she will be ready to carry on
in politics, Wan Azizah responded: ''From
the looks of it, I'm doing it now.''
The mother of six said that her family was
carrying on as usual with their everyday
lives and activities although the children
miss their father very much. Wan Azizah
said that Anwar has lost 18 pounds since
his arrest but he is in good health and in
good spirit.
She revealed she had been contacted by
officials from several countries, whose
leaders will arrive in Kuala Lumpur next
week for the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation summit, for a possible
meeting with her. She refused to disclose
the names or countries but said she will be
meeting Habibie's wife and that she
believes Estrada has expressed his
intention to meet Anwar.
Wan Azizah said she feels honoured to be
compared with ''very strong'' Asian woman
leaders such as former Filipino president
Corazon Aquino, Indonesia's Megawati
Sukarnoputri and Burma's Aung San Suu
Kyi. She said Aquino had called her and
that she would like to tap into her views and
resources.
BY YINDEE LERTCHAROENCHOK AND
STEVE GAN
The Nation