Sex, Spies and Singapore: Leaking from the Honeytrap
I'm sure that like most busy Americans, you haven't had time closely to follow the impact of the latest Wikileaks revelations on Malaysian politics. Don't worry, I'm on a deadline. So I'll be here all day to help you out.
Malaysia yesterday summoned the Singaporean ambassador to protest the "unjustified" remarks (apparently) made by its diplomats to American officials. The Singaporeans, it seems from our cables, are worried about the possibility of racial conflict in Malaysia and the flight of ethnic Chinese into Singapore. The Singaporeans (apparently) called Prime Minister Najib Razak an "opportunist," by which I'm sure he's not best pleased. But it's a bit of a mixed bag for him, because the Singaporeans also say opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's a sodomite. In other words, they're saying the charges against him aren't trumped-up:
Singapore leaders also believe Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had sex with a male aide in a honey trap set by his enemies, a charge which Anwar has vehemently denied.
Anwar's supporters Tuesday handed a letter to Singapore's mission denouncing the remarks.
These remarks (apparently) came from none other than Lee Kwan Yew. And who told us this? The Australians. So everyone's furious with Singapore, who (apparently) had some choice words for that Thais and the Japanese, as well, and the Singaporeans, presumably, are furious with the Australians--and with us. Good work, Wikileaks, good work, State Department: You've exposed an ally to embarrassment and you've exposed their intelligence collection capabilities. Let's see how likely the Singaporeans are to share their intelligence with us, or with someone who will leak it to us, in the future.
That intelligence might have come in useful in a place like Malaysia, where the purported sodomite in question is in an electoral alliance with the PAS. The West can debate to its heart's content whether Anwar is an Islamist in moderate's clothing (I think it's quite clear that he is), but really there's no doubt about the PAS: They're Islamists in Islamists' clothing. That's the second-largest party in Malaysia and it's gaining ground. What's their reaction to all of this? Exactly what you'd expect: We need to figure out how the Singaporeans knew this and make sure that doesn't happen again:
The PAS leadership today ... diverted the attention to the Home Ministry, saying the onus was on them to explain how foreign intelligence had gathered the information.
I suppose I too would be curious to know just how the Singaporeans knew this, if indeed they did. What were they, under the bed?
One last bit of bizarreness. According to the cable in question, the Australian 'ONA assessed, and their Singapore counterparts concurred, 'it was a set-up job and he probably knew that, but walked into it anyway."' Now, I don't think Anwar should be on trial for sodomy, because I don't think sodomy should be a crime. That's my ethnocentric Western point of view on the matter, which happens to be the right point of view. I also don't think think the definition of "rape" should compass "sleeping with two neurotic Swedish harpies in the same weekend." But these do happen to be crimes in the countries in question, and really, my heart isn't bleeding for Anwar any more than it's bleeding for Assange. If you get in bed with Islamists, don't get in bed with your 25-year-old aide at the same time--or at least, don't complain to me when you find yourself on trial for sodomy.
I do have to wonder, though: If the Singaporeans are right about this, why on earth would Anwar--remember, this is his second sodomy trial--walk into this? You'd think he'd be a bit sensitive to that kind of thing by round two. Doesn't quite make sense to me, but then again, he wouldn't exactly be the first politician in history to be stupid beyond belief where these things are concerned.
- Comment (5)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
Comments :
May '10
Re: Sex, Spies and Singapore: Leaking from the Honeytrap
I suspect that if Mr Lee says it is true, it is. It would be inconcievable to me that the principals in the Singapore Govt. did not know exactly what was going on with heavy hitters in all their Neighbors, especially Malaysia. In countries where cronyism is a way of life, it is extremely hard to keep secrets for long.
As to the imbicilic hypocrisy of Anwar's actions, just think Gary Hart. Anwar is admittedly dumber as Hart didn't go to prison, but the principal is the same.
Re: Sex, Spies and Singapore: Leaking from the Honeytrap
Yes, I was thinking of mentioning Gary Hart, then I got mentally bogged down in a long list of similar stories.
Jul '10
Re: Sex, Spies and Singapore: Leaking from the Honeytrap
Claire, you little imp, here you go again, playing to the masses.
You know we just cannot resist Malaysian sodomy stories.
Jul '10
Re: Sex, Spies and Singapore: Leaking from the Honeytrap
Somehow, the application of the term "honey trap" to a couple of Malaysian males just seems, um, icky.
Mega-icky.
Re: Sex, Spies and Singapore: Leaking from the Honeytrap
Sorry, Kenneth, Anna Chapman was on vacation.