You ain't nothing but a hound dog: Anwar to KJ

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
FULL REPORT KUALA LUMPUR: PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim denied accusation that he was apologetic towards the Israeli attack on the aid-carrying flotilla and called his accuser, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, a "hound dog" for his party.

"It's a tradition to hound me. It's like the song 'hound dog'," Anwar told reporters in Parliament here in an immediate response to Khairy's allegation.

The Rembau MP this morning claimed that Anwar had tried to pacify his upset Jewish allies by saying he "regretted" describing the attack as "Zionist aggression". [read: Khairy: Anwar a double dealer]

Anwar, however, said it was merely a case of misinterpretation on the term "Zionism".

"I went there by invitation of the Woodrow Wilson Centre to give a lecture and then of course there were meetings organised with the editorial staff and international media.

"Many Americans and Jews said that it was not a fair interpretation because they said that Zionism is interpreted as a fair and legitimate state, so I said if that is what you mean, I don't mean that and I stand by my context that Zionism is aggression and imperialism," he said.

The Washington Post reported on June 28 that Anwar "spent a long time" with House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard Berman and other "old friends” in Washington explaining his position with regard to Israel.

The article, entitled "Flirting with zealotry in Malaysia", said Anwar regretted using expressions like "Zionist aggression" to describe the attack on the aid workers.

"Why do I need to use it if it causes so much misunderstanding? I need to be more careful," it quoted Anwar as saying.

So what about Apco?

For years, Umno has been attacking Anwar for his closeness with US leaders who happen to be Jewish, particularly former World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz.

Recently, Anwar tried to turn the tables on Umno with the revelation that the Najib administration had hired the public relations company Apco Worldwide, which he said had links with Zionists. He has also alleged that Israeli spies had infiltrated the Malaysian police force.

He continued with his attack on the Barisan Nasional-Apco fiasco today, saying that the government-linked media had intentionally blacked out his criticism against the Zionists in a bid to depict him as a "Jewish puppet".

"When I said the world has lost its patience with Israel, it was not reported in Utusan Malaysia. When the government pays RM70 million to Apco, Utusan did not mention so we understand. I don't think RTM or TV3 will mention it as well," he quipped.

“So what is the issue here? My position on Palestine has never changed. Even though I befriend everyone, I don't pay Jewish leaders to defend me. That is what the BN government does," said Anwar.