AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH INFORMATION MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000682

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EAP/MTS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PHUM MY
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH INFORMATION MINISTER

Classified By: Classified By: Acting Political Section Chief W. Gary Gr
ay for reasons 1.4 (b
and d).



1. (C) Summary. Information Minister and prominent
reform-proponent Shabery Cheek assured the Ambassador that PM
Abdullah remains committed to his reform agenda despite
resistance from some of the PM,s own senior advisors and
the UMNO old guard. While exhibiting some discomfort
regarding the issue, Shabery defended the Government,s line
on Anwar,s arrest. The Ambassador stressed that we would
continue to speak out for the rule of law with a respectful
attitude as a friend of Malaysia. End Summary.


2. (C) During an expansive luncheon discussion August 4 the
Ambassador explored the current media environment and
prospects for continued political reform with Information
Minister Shabery Cheek. Shabery, a Terengganu politician and
former Semangat 46 opposition figure, is a strong proponent
of reform within the Abdullah Badawi administration. He is
responsible for initiating television coverage of
Parliamentary debate, has credentialed online news
journalists, and was the prominent ruling party
representative in a televised debate with opposition leader
Anwar Ibrahim the evening before Anwar,s July 3 arrest.


3. (C) The Ambassador conveyed to Shabery our rationale for
speaking out in support of the rule of law, recalling Tony
Blair,s appearance at an annual lecture series August 1 in
Kualau Lumpur, in which Blair spoke extensively about the
importance of the rule of law to democratic development.
Shabery affirmed his belief that Prime Minister Abdullah was
committed to political reform, including increasing the
independence of the judiciary and promoting an independent
role for the Anti-Corruption Agency. The Information
Minister conveyed some of the flavor of his effort within
UMNO to persuade the old guard that it was necessary to
change with the times, even if that meant giving a platform
to opposition politicians. Despite his confidence that the
Prime Minister would not allow reforms to be derailed or
diverted, Shabery said more time would be necessary to
overcome recalcitrant UMNO members who wished to preserve the
status quo.


4. (C) Turning to the ongoing political crisis, Shabery
acknowledged the Ambassador,s point to the effect that the
involvement of the police and therefore the rule of law in an
issue that would take the opposition leader out of his
current political contest with the ruling party could not be
seen as a merely criminal matter. He opined that it would
have been best for Malaysia if this political imbroglio had
not developed, but, reiterating the ruling party,s primary
theme, the government had to deal with the fact of a
citizen,s complaint against Anwar. Shabery suggested that
if Anwar were to just acknowledge the consensual relationship
perhaps the legal issue could recede. In any event, Shabery
said, he was surprised that Anwar was willing to take the
issue to the Sharia court as that would seem to be a nod in
the direction of Islamic law and a retreat from political
liberalization that Shabery believed to be in Malaysia,s
best interest.


5. (C) Despite his evident discomfort with the role of
defending the government,s line on Anwar,s arrest, Shabery
was no supporter of the opposition leader. Recalling his
history in opposition to UMNO as a member of the now defunct
Semangat 46 from 1990 to 1996, Shabery spoke with similarly
evident pride in the steps that had been taken since the
March election this year. The ruling party,s tangible steps
to repair damage done to the judiciary and to expand the
media,s voice in civil society were lasting and would
continue, Shabery said, and were accomplished without Anwar.
The Ambassador noted that Abdullah,s apparent personal
commitment to reform did not seem to be matched by many of
his senior advisors. Shabery replied that Abdullah would
work to secure his legacy between now and the 2010 date he
had established for his retirement. Shabery emphasized his
confidence that Abdullah would not relent, despite the
apparent flagging momentum of political reforms at present.



6. (C) The Ambassador explained that as the Secretary made
clear in her remarks in Singapore, we would continue to speak
out for the rule of law in Malaysia, and we would do so out
of respect. Elaborating, the Ambassador noted that we took
Malaysian officials, criticism of the United States in the
same spirit of respect. If Malaysia pointed out that it
thought the U.S. was headed in the wrong direction on

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Guantanamo or in Iraq, we took as our premise that Malaysians
spoke from the perspective of a friend seeking to criticize
constructively in hopes that the basis for our cooperation
would be preserved or enlarged. We hoped for the same, the
Ambassador commented, from Malaysians when we conveyed our
concern for the rule of law in Malaysia, a set of principles
and practices that was central to every element of our
bilateral cooperation from trade, finance, and export control
to anti-terrorism cooperation and interfaith dialogue.
Shabery acknowledged the point and promised to keep up
dialogue with the Embassy to help maximize chances for clear
communication.


7. (C) The Ambassador encouraged Shabery to travel to the
United States to meet senior U.S. officials to share his
perspective on political reform in Malaysia. The Minister
suggested that perhaps he would be able to travel after the
December ruling party meeting, "if things settle down." The
Ambassador joined Shabery in hoping for that outcome, adding
that it was the U.S. wish that such results would come by
means of a series of developments that strengthened the rule
of law in Malaysia.
KEITH