Who Is Anwar Ibrahim ?

Clinton Moderate Islamist

Posted by Rachel Ehrenfeld

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s conduct during her recent visit to Malaysia was anything but diplomatic. In a press conference hosted by Foreign Minister Anifa Aman, Clinton took the unusual step of siding with opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar is on trial for corruption and sodomy charges, which he claims are politically motivated. Perhaps.

But Clinton’s announcement that she had raised Ibrahim’s prosecution with the Malaysian government, and that the State Department “raise[s] it on a consistent basis,” should be viewed not merely as the U.S. concern for the rule of law. Clinton’s statement should be regarded as a major victory for Anwar Ibrahim. More broadly it is a triumph of the International Muslim Brotherhood, whose ideology Anwar advances.

Who is Anwar Ibrahim?

Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, is currently the opposition leader, and considered by many Westerners to be a leading moderate Muslim intellectual. Yet, even a cursory examination of Ibrahim’s background reveals that he is an Islamist, dedicated to promote global Islamic rule based on Shari’a Law.

Ibrahim came to prominence in the early 70’s’ after he founded and led Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM), known in English as Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement.

In February 1999, HARAKAH, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party’s (PAS) publication in English printed a speech given by Anwar at a 1979 ABIM meeting. “It is our conviction that if all parties concerned are sincere and serious about understanding Islam, its concepts and principles, they will accept Islam as the only practicable and viable alternative to the present order,” he said.

To achieve this goal, Anwar proposed that “Schools, especially institutions of higher learning must be encouraged to cultivate the spirit of Islamic universalism to break down the present communal barriers.”

On December 11, 2005, in an interview to the London based Asharq Al-Awsat, Mohammad Mahdi Akef, former leader of the international Muslim Brotherhood, stated: “the Muslim Brotherhood is a global movement whose members cooperate with each other throughout the world, based on the same religious worldview – the spread of Islam, until it rules the world.” [emphasis added]

Despite such statements many in the U.S. and the West regard the Muslim Brotherhood’s Islamic creed and the many Islamist organizations it spawned, such as al Qaeda and Hamas an social movements. “Islamism is … but a social movement like any other – communism, nationalism, liberalism, fascism, socialism.”

Anwar himself has provided evidence of the influence that Sayyid Qutb and Maulana Maududi, the ideological fathers of Muslim Brotherhood have had on his understanding of the Quran.

Qutab and Maududi also inspired the creation of radical Islamic groups such as al-Qaeda and Hamas, and Islamic charities that use the guise of humanitarian relief to transfer funds to Hamas, al Qaeda, the Chechen mujahedeen, and others. The U.S. recently shut down the activities of the now defunct Oregon branch of the al Haramain Islamic Foundation, and Texas-based Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), one of the largest Islamic charities in the US. Holy Land Foundation was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department in December 2001.

In 1999 while in prison on previous charges of corruption and sodomy, Ibrahim wrote to Abdul Hamid Abu Sulaiman, former Rector of International Islamic University of Malaysia, and a fellow director of the Virginia based Muslim Brotherhood’s International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). The IIIT was identified by the FBI as an unindicted coconspirator in the terror financing trial of the Holy Land Foundation.

In his letter to Sulaiman, Anwar wrote: “I’m trying to keep myself busy–with prayers and du’a, tadarrus and reading…My old copy of Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s translation of the Quran is most valuable because of my earlier short notes and references from Ibn Kathir, al-Qurtubi, Sayyid Qutb and Maulana Maududi’s tafsirs (interpretations).”

When Sulaiman became the Rector of Islamic University of Kuala Lumpur, which houses IIIT’s sister organization, International Institute for Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), he “vigorously started the work of Islamization of Education. Arabic and Fiqh. Islamic Law and Jurisprudence were introduced as compulsory and university requirement courses. The University from the very beginning, took steps to gradually Islamize subject matters of the social science, discipline, and the effort is still on.”

In a 2005 ABIM conference in Malaysia, Dr Ahmad Totonji, the Former Secretary –General, of the Saudi based World Assembly Of Muslim Youth (WAMY) – documented as funding al Qaeda and Hamas - and the VP of IIIT’s Administration praised Anwar’s activity to advance Islamic rule. Totonjii was also co-founder and officer of another Saudi funded, now-defunct Islamic charity, Safa Trust (first known as the U.S. branch of the Saudi SAAR foundation, incorporated as a 501(3)c on July 29, 1983 in Herndon, VA. In December 2000, it was and renamed Safa Trust). Both were suspected of funding of al Qaeda. Read more.

What Happens When The U.S Froze Foreign Assets ?

The U.S. seized $30 billion from Qaddafi. Do we get to spend that money?

By Brian PalmerPosted Tuesday, March 1, 2011, at 5:36 PM ET

President Obama ordered the Treasury to block $30 billion worth of Libyan assets on Friday, the "largest amount of foreign assets ever seized in an American sanctions action." What will happen to all that money?

Nothing much. While some news stories refer to the president's move as a seizure, it's more accurate to call it a freezing or blocking, since the government hasn't actually taken control of any assets. Rather, the executive order prohibits U.S. institutions from transferring money out of any account owned by Qaddafi, his family and associates, or the Libyan government. Qaddafi will maintain title to his assets, and the accounts will continue to accrue interest until the order is repealed. As for stocks or other investments that are capable of declining in value, banks have a choice. They can simply leave his holdings as they are, even if the investments turn sour. Alternatively, they can apply to the Office of Foreign Assets Control—the agency responsible for enforcing trade sanctions—for a specific license to manage or liquidate the accounts.

The Treasury is normally inclined to grant such licenses, because allowing the investments to shrivel is inconsistent with the purpose of the policy. Asset blocks aren't just meant to punish international criminals; they also protect money for successor governments. The Treasury is trying to prevent Qaddafi from absconding with Libya's wealth. Many past presidents have used asset blocks to prevent this sort of plundering. Shortly after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, Iraqi officials began stealing money from bank accounts owned by Kuwaiti nationals. The Treasury Department blocked those accounts to preserve Kuwaiti capital. It did the same thing with Bosnian accounts after the Serbian invasion.

Qaddafi can probably kiss his money goodbye. The president, the Treasury secretary, and Congress each have the authority to repeal the block (the latter by a joint resolution), but they are extremely unlikely to do so during Qaddafi's lifetime. The Libyan leader probably has no recourse in the court system, either, because the law that permits the president to freeze foreign assets doesn't provide for judicial review and the United States doesn't recognize the authority of any international court to mediate such a dispute.

Once Qaddafi is dead or out of power and the United States has recognized a successor government, the president will lift the block on assets owned by the Libyan government itself. The future of Qaddafi's personal assets is less clear. Except in wartime, the president doesn't have the authority (PDF) to seize blocked money unilaterally and give it to someone else. He might persuade the courts to do so, however, if he can prove the assets were obtained through corruption or money laundering. In that case, a judge might transfer title to the government, which could redirect it to Libya's new leadership. Read more.

Anwar In Panic State: Dah Ludah Jilat Balik

Hantu Laut

With his sodomy trail looking critical and PKR in almost irreversible slump in Sabah, Anwar Ibrahim is in panic state.

To make matters worse, the general Malay population is distancing themselves from him and his party of mish mash.

Here, he directed a message to UMNO members and supporters and told them "You are not my enemy" he is only against UMNO evil leaders.

Here, the Malays would say "Dah ludah, jilat balik"

I would be really surprise if Jeffrey would come back knowing how tattered PKR is in Sabah.

Air Asia Flying Into Turbulence

Hantu Laut

"Now Everyone Can Fly" a tag line that has become a reality not only in Malaysia but the whole wide world.

Air Asia, a fledgling airline less than a decade ago has become one of Malaysia's greatest success story.A pioneer in budget airline in Asia and Asia's largest low-fare, no frills airline.

Air Asia was founded by government linked company DRB-HICOM.The highly-indebted company was purchased by one man with one clear vision....... to provide affordable air-fare for the masses.

That one man is Tony Fernandes, who bought the loss-making company for RM1.00 and took over some RM40 million of debt and 2 ageing Boeing 737 .His stint at Virgin as a finance and accounting man may have given him the insight on how to start and run a budget airline.

Many thought him to be out of his mind to buy a debt-ridden airline and prophesied its early demise.The prophets of doom were wrong, the airline has grown from strength to strength and have now eclipsed MAS (Malaysian Airline) in term of fleet size, market capitalisation, profit and popularity.

An epitome of one man's loss is another man's gain. Fernandes has become the envy of the corporate world and his airline a household name in the region.This man had received many outstanding awards including the France government and the Queen of England.Malaysia seemed to have missed his contributions.

Air Asia has flown into turbulence in East Malaysia particularly Sabah where MAB (Malaysian Airports) had given it an ultimatum to move to the KKIA main terminal by 1st June 2011.

Moving to the main terminal would mean increase in its operating cost which would have to be passed on to passengers that would certainly cut its passenger load.Fernandes was against the idea and said he would chain himself to Terminal 2 if he had to, to stay there.

I am a proponent of budget airline which allow one to tailor the fare to suit one's pocket.

I fly with both airlines but more with Air Asia because of its better frequency of flights, newer fleet of air crafts and affordable fare.

Unless, you want to complain it is too cheap or you are just a stupid snob let me assure you there is nothing wrong with the airline, most of its planes are younger than those used by MAS on its domestic flights.

It would be silly of the Malaysian government to ignore Air Asia and give special treatment to MAS which is basically run by people with bureaucratic civil servant mentality and dare not face competitions.MAB excuse of wanting Terminal 2 as cargo terminal is just an excuse.I believe there are plenty of room for expansion where the present cargo terminal is.

Air Asia has become too big to ignore.There were rumours that the Singapore government is trying to court Air Asia to move its hub to Singapore with a promise of competitive costs and a dedicated terminal for the airline.It wouldn't take a lot of effort for Fernandes to accept the offer, if true, and move his main hub to Singapore.

I have flown once with Jetstar from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu and it was no where near as systematic and efficient as Air Asia, the queue at the check-in counter was so long I almost die standing.

The rumours of Singapore wanting another low-cost airline to make Changi its main hub may not be untrue.Air Asia is probably the most successful low-cost airline in the world.Many have tried to copy it but some have fallen by the wayside or are struggling to survive.

Read this on the screwing of Air Asia by Joe Fernandez