Najib met Anwar!

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak met Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the prime minister's home in Putrajaya last month and asked for the opposition to work closely with the government. It was learned that Najib had wanted to send the message that, as prime minister, he would be willing to work with the opposition. He told Anwar that it was important for foreign investors to have confidence in Malaysia. The political temperature has been consistently high with an acrimonious relationship between the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) since the opposition made unprecedented gains in last year's general elections. With numerous by-elections, a power grab in Perak and Anwar facing a sodomy charge, the BN administration has been consistently distracted by politics. But there has been no sign of closer cooperation or a thaw in hostilities since the two men met. In recent weeks, Umno has taken the lead in raising the political heat with relentless racial attacks against the opposition. Anwar has been called a traitor while PAS's Islamic credentials have been questioned by an Umno which has demonised the DAP as anti-Malay. The Teoh Beng Hock death and current inquest has also led accusations that BN is trying to destabilise the Selangor PR government with an eye towards another power grab.. But during Najib's meeting with Anwar, the prime minister had pledged not to discriminate against PR-held states. Government sources told The Malaysian Insider that Najib sought the meeting in recognition of Anwar's role as leader of the opposition. He wanted Anwar to convey the message of cooperation to leaders of other PR parties. Najib was probably hoping that Anwar and the opposition would reduce the political temperature in the country. PKR sources told The Malaysian Insider that Najib would not be able to govern Malaysia effectively without the support of the opposition. Since taking office in April, Najib has tried to introduce a number of economic reforms and has pledged to review controversial legislation such as the Internal Security Act (ISA). The prime minister has said he would slowly free up the economy, suggesting that Malaysia's NEP-style affirmative action policies would be replaced sooner rather later. But the hardline race rhetoric being championed by his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in recent weeks have made some Malaysians wonder if Umno would allow the PM to remove the kind of policies which have seen immense largesse given to many party leaders and supporters. PKR sources also said that during the meeting between the two leaders, Najib sought to defend himself against allegations levelled at him by the opposition while Anwar took the opportunity to rubbish the government's sodomy case against him. Since the meeting, Najib appears to have chosen to play the statesmen role, keeping relatively quiet while hawks in his party like Muhyiddin have gone on the offensive against the opposition. It is unclear now if Najib will, or will be able to, rein in the hawks and their race rhetoric. Still, news of the clandestine meeting has set tongues wagging, with some observers wondering whether Najib's decision to meet Anwar is a sign of weakness.