On 2 September 2004, I met Pawanchik Merican, one of Anwar’s lawyers, in the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya. “Do you know that Ezam and Anuar Shaari have been collecting money in the name of the Free Anwar Campaign?” Pawanchik asked me.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
A 41-year-old former aide to PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has come forward here to provide police with information to assist them in investigations to trace the whereabouts of Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin.
Anuar Shaari, a former Finance Ministry officer who worked for Anwar between 1996 and 1998, arrived at the Melaka Tengah district police station at about 10am on Thursday and spend about 30 minutes with Melaka Tengah OCPD ACP Salehhudin Abd Rahman to pass on the information.
“I gave him details and a written description including a photograph of Pakistani-born American Aasil Kazi Ahmad who may be able to provide information on the whereabaouts of Raja Petra," he told reporters here.
Anuar, who currently runs a business here Ayer Keroh, said he came forward with the information following the advice of the police in connection to a press conference he held in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 6 regarding the matter.
“I urge the authorities, in particular the police, to track Aasil’s whereabouts and movements to get him to assist investigations,” he said.
“Both men (Aasil and Raja Petra) are very close and share similar expertise as media strategists,” he said, adding that Aasil is based in Washington but has been making frequent trips to Malaysia since 2004.
He added that Aasil, who works for a politician and acts as a consultant for a local organisation, was often seen in Kuala Lumpur.
He also said he informed police that Dr Munawar Anees, Anwar’s former speech writer, also shared a close bond with Aasil and may be able to shed light on his whereabouts.
As why he decided to come forward now, Anuar said he was merely passing on information to assist police in locating Raja Petra. When met later, Salehhudin confirmed the meeting with Anuar, adding that the information provided by him would be passed to his counterparts in Bukit Aman.
Raja Petra is wanted for failing to appear in court on two occasions last year over a sedition charge. He is accused of defaming the Prime Ministers wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, in an article on his website. – The Star
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“Anuar Shaari, a former Finance Ministry officer who worked for Anwar between 1996 and 1998, arrived at the Melaka Tengah district police station at about 10am on Thursday and spend about 30 minutes with Melaka Tengah OCPD ACP Salehhudin Abd Rahman to pass on the information,” said The Star newspaper report.
Actually, this is only part of the story. What The Star failed to report is that Anuar Shaari continued working for Anwar right up to 2004 or so, maybe longer. He was one of the principal ‘operators’ from the day Parti Keadilan Nasional was launched on 14 April 1999 right till the launch of the Free Anwar Campaign in August 2000 and beyond.
In 2003 or thereabouts, Anuar Shaari, Ezam Mohd Nor, and two other people who have all since left the opposition, made a trip to the United States. I did not know about it until I received a phone call from a contact in the US. He wanted me to verify who these four people are and whether it is true that they work for the Free Anwar Campaign.
I was caught off guard and did not know how to respond. I lied and said I was in a meeting and whether I could call him back later. I then got in touch with someone who would know what was going on and asked him what was happening.
The person I contacted was surprised that I had found out.
I was of course quite perturbed. The Free Anwar Campaign was just me. I was running the Free Anwar Campaign alone. There were no other people involved in the Free Anwar Campaign. How come there are now four people in the US who are supposedly there on the Free Anwar Campaign business?
The person I spoke to told me why they were there. He then asked me to call back the US and confirm with the person who had called me that the four are legitimate. I did as I was told -- but not before I gave that person a piece of my mind and told him I did not like what was going on. Nevertheless, for the sake of the cause I will obey the order.
I then called back the US and told my contact that the four people who were there are legitimate. I also gave him the names of the four people and my US contact confirmed that I was right.
It is important that I confirm that these four are authorised to act on behalf of the Free Anwar Campaign, my US contact informed me. Then he asked me another question. “Is it true that the opposition is very short of money and that if they had a few million Ringgit then the opposition has a better chance of winning the next general election?”
“That is true,” I replied.
“Okay,” my US contact told me. “Then we will help arrange something for them. Ten or twenty million Ringgit is no problem for us. We can handle that.”
That was just before the March 2004 general election. But the tens of millions in election funds were not sent to Malaysia. Instead, it was channelled to Hong Kong. And the March 2004 general election came before the money could be diverted from Hong Kong to Malaysia. And we never heard of the money again. Soon after that Ezam and his gang, which included Anuar Shaari, left the opposition and joined Umno. Some left just before the 2004 general election.
I found out later from a very senior party leader that the money came from George Soros (see more here: http://www.georgesoros.com/). The four in fact personally met Soros in his office. And I was even told who had arranged for the meeting and the subsequent funding.
On 2 September 2004, I met Pawanchik Merican, one of Anwar’s lawyers, in the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya. “Do you know that Ezam and Anuar Shaari have been collecting money in the name of the Free Anwar Campaign?” Pawanchik asked me.
“Yes, I know,” I replied.
“Did they give you anything?” Pawanchik asked me.
“No, not a sen,” I replied.
“I thought so,” said Pawanchik. “I was told they are using your name to collect millions and that they did not give you anything. Why don’t you close down the Free Anwar Campaign? If not these people will use it to collect money.”
My wife who was there agreed with Pawanchik. “That’s what I keep telling him but he is so stubborn,” added my wife.
“I will never abandon Anwar halfway,” I told Pawanchik. “Once Anwar is free then I will close down the Free Anwar Campaign.”
“What if he is not freed? What if he spends 15 years in jail? Do you want to continue running the Free Anwar Campaign for another nine years without being paid any salary and allow them to use it to raise money?”
“I suppose so,” I responded. “But Anwar will be freed today. So today I can close down the Free Anwar Campaign.”
“None of the lawyers think so,” said Pawanchik. I just shrugged my shoulders. Two hours later Anwar was freed by the Federal Court and I went home to make my last posting, ‘Alhamdulillah, Anwar is now free’, and closed down the Free Anwar Campaign.
Yes, that is the story of Ezam Mohd Nor and Anuar Shaari. Of course, I know the identity of the other two who also made that trip to the US, plus the ‘fifth man’, the man I phoned. I also know the name of the senior party leader who told me that the tens of millions came from Soros. And, invariably, I also know the name of my US contact who set the whole thing up. But as long as they keep their peace with me then I shall keep their secret safe. However, the minute they cross me, then their names will be revealed.
Translated into BM by Jason:
Anuar Shaari dan George Soros
Pada 2 September 2004, saya bertemu dengan salah seorang peguam Anwar, Pawanchik Merican di Istana Kehakiman di Putrajaya. "Awak tahu tak yang Ezam dan Anuar Shaari sedang galak mengutip derma atas nama Kempen Bebaskan Anwar (Free Anwar Campaign)?" Pawanchik menyoal saya.
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
"Anuar Shaari, bekas pegawai Kementerian Kewangan yang bekerja untuk Anwar antara 1996 dan 1998, tiba di pejabat polis daerah Melaka Tengah sekitar jam 10 pagi pada Khamis dan menghabiskan sekitar 30 minit dengan OCPD ACP Salehhudin Abdul Rahman bagi menyampaikan maklumat itu," akhbar The Star melaporkan.
Sebenarnya, laporan ni tak menceritakan segala-galanya. Ia tidak menjelaskan hakikat bahawa Anuar Shaari terus bekerja untuk Anwar hingga tahun 2004 ataupun mungkin lebih lama daripada tu. Dia adalah salah seorang 'pengendali' utama Parti Keadilan Nasional, iaitu sejak parti tu dilancarkan pada 14 April 1999 hinggalah ke saat pelancaran Free Anwar Campaign pada Ogos 2000, dan seterusnya.
Pada sekitar tahun 2003, Anuar Shaari, Ezam Mohd Nor dan dua orang lain yang telah meninggalkan parti pembangkang pergi ke Amerika Syarikat. Saya hanya mengetahui tentangnya apabila saya ditelefon seseorang dari Amerika Syarikat. Dia ingin saya mengesahkan identiti keempat-empat orang berkenaan dan bahawa mereka adalah sebahagian dari Free Anwar Campaign.
Saya terkedu dan tak tahu apa yang harus saya jawab. Saya berbohong dan berkata bahawa saya sedang bermesyuarat dan meminta untuk menelefonnya kemudian. Saya kemudiannya menghubungi seseorang yang pasti tahu tentang apa yang sedang berlaku, lalu bertanya mengenai perkara tu.
Orang tu terkejut kerana saya mengetahui tentangnya.
Pada masa tu, saya memang resah. Ini kerana hanya saya yang terlibat dalam Free Anwar Campaign. Saya menjalankan Free Anwar Campaign secara sendirian. Tak ada orang lain yang terlibat dalam Free Anwar Campaign. Jadi, macam mana pula sekarang ni ada empat orang di AS yang kononnya ke sana atas urusan yang berkaitan dengan Free Anwar Campaign?
Orang yang berhubung dengan saya tu menerangkan tentang tujuan mereka (‘empat sekawan’) ke AS. Dia kemudiannya meminta saya untuk menelefon kembali orang hubungan saya di AS dan mengesahkan identiti empat sekawan tu. Saya melakukan seperti yang diminta, tetapi hanya selepas saya melepaskan geram saya kepada orang tu dan menyatakan pendirian bahawa saya tidak menyenangi akan perkara yang sedang berlaku. Namun demikian, demi perjuangan, saya mematuhi arahan tu.
Saya kemudiannya menelefon orang hubungan saya di AS bagi mengesahkan identiti empat sekawan tu. Saya juga memberitahunya nama keempat-empat orang individu itu dan orang hubung saya di AS mengesahkannya.
Menurutnya, adalah penting bagi saya mengesahkan bahawa empat sekawan tu dibenarkan untuk bertindak atas nama Free Anwar Campaign. Selepas tu, dia mengajukan pertanyaan lain kepada saya, "Benarkah pembangkang amat kekurangan wang dan jika mereka mempunyai beberapa juta ringgit, maka mereka mempunyai peluang yang lebih baik bagi memenangi pilihanraya umum yang seterusnya?"
"Ya," saya menjawab.
"Okey," ujarnya. “Kalau begitu, kami akan dapatkan sejumlah wang untuk mereka. Setakat sepuluh ataupun dua puluh juta ringgit, tu tak jadi masalah bagi kami. Kami boleh mendapatkannya."
Ini berlaku sejurus sebelum pilihanraya umum Mac 2004. Tapi dana pilihan raya puluhan juta ringgit tu tak pernah pun dihantar ke Malaysia. Sebaliknya, ia disalurkan ke Hong Kong dan pilihanraya umum Mac 2004 berlangsung sebelum wang tu sempat disalurkan dari Hong Kong ke Malaysia. Sehingga kini, duit tu ghaib entah ke mana. Tak lama selepas tu, Ezam dan gengnya, termasuklah Anuar Shaari meninggalkan pembangkang dan menyertai UMNO. Ada juga yang meninggalkan pembangkang sejurus sebelum pilihanraya 2004.
Saya kemudiannya diberitahu oleh seorang pemimpin kanan parti bahawa wang itu diberikan oleh George Soros (dapatkan maklumat lanjut mengenai George Soros di sini: http://www.georgesoros.com/). Malah empat sekawan tu bertemu dengan Soros secara peribadi di pejabatnya. Saya juga diberitahu tentang individu yang menetapkan pertemuan tu dan penyaluran wang yang berkenaan.
Pada 2 September 2004, saya bertemu dengan salah seorang peguam Anwar, Pawanchik Merican di Istana Kehakiman di Putrajaya. "Awak tahu tak yang Ezam dan Anuar Shaari sedang galak mengutip derma atas nama Kempen Bebaskan Anwar (Free Anwar Campaign)?" Pawanchik menyoal saya.
"Ya, saya tahu," jawab saya.
"Awak ada dapat duit daripada mereka?” soal Pawanchik.
"Satu sen pun tak ada," jawab saya.
"Mmm… dah agak dah,” kata Pawanchik. "Saya diberitahu bahawa mereka menggunakan nama awak untuk mengutip jutaan ringgit dan bahawa mereka tidak memberikan satu sen pun kepada awak. Kenapa awak tak tutup saja Free Anwar Campaign? Kalau dibiarkan, puak-puak ni akan memperalatkannya bagi mengutip derma."
Isteri saya yang berada di situ sependapat dengan Pawanchik. "Saya dah lama suruh tapi dia ni degil sangat,” isteri saya menambah.
"Saya takkan meninggalkan Anwar separuh jalan," kata saya kepada Pawanchik. "Saya akan tutup Free Anwar Campaign apabila Anwar dibebaskan.”
"Bagaimana jika dia tak dibebaskan? Bagaimana kalau dia meringkuk selama 15 tahun di penjara? Awak nak ke teruskan Free Anwar Campaign untuk lagi sembilan tahun tanpa dibayar gaji dan terus membiarkan mereka memperalatkannya bagi mengumpul kekayaan?”
"Yelah kot," jawab saya. "Tapi hari ni, Anwar akan dibebaskan. Jadi, saya boleh tutup Free Anwar Campaign hari ni juga.”
"Tak ada seorang peguam pun yang sependapat dengan awak,” kata Pawanchik. Saya hanya mengangkat bahu saya. Dua jam kemudian, Anwar dibebaskan oleh Mahkamah Persekutuan dan saya pulang ke rumah untuk membuat entri terakhir saya, ‘Alhamdulillah, Anwar is now free’ (Alhamdulillah, Anwar kini bebas) dan seterusnya menutup Free Anwar Campaign.
Ya, itulah cerita tentang Ezam Mohd Nor dan Anuar Shaari dan ya… saya juga tahu identiti dua orang lain yang juga pergi ke AS serta ‘orang kelima’, iaitu lelaki yang saya telefon. Saya juga tahu nama pemimpin kanan parti yang memberitahu saya bahawa puluhan juta ringgit tu datang daripada Soros. Selain tu, saya juga semestinya tahu nama orang hubungan saya di AS yang menguruskan segala hal yang berkaitan dengan penyaluran wang tu. Tapi selagi mereka tak kacau saya, maka saya takkan bocorkan rahsia mereka. Tetapi kalau mereka sengaja cari fasal dengan saya, maka saya akan dedahkan nama mereka.
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