In this April 27, 2014, file photo, President Barack Obama and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak shake hands at the end of a joint news conference at his residence in Kuala Lumpur
The sodomy conviction of Malaysia’s opposition leader has set back, but not derailed, Washington’s improved ties with a country that is becoming increasingly important for U.S. diplomacy and trade policy in Asia.
The White House strongly criticized the conviction of Anwar Ibrahim, whose case was widely seen as politically motivated. That could dash Prime Minister Najib Razak’s hopes this year of being the first Malaysian leader to be invited to the White House since 2004.
The Obama administration has been considering inviting Najib as Malaysia takes the lead of the 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc that has become pivotal for Washington’s engagement with the region.
Anwar began a five-year prison term Tuesday. He posed the most serious threat to Najib’s ruling coalition, whose popularity has eroded after more than five decades of dominance.
An earlier sodomy conviction against Anwar was overturned in 2004 after he’d served six years in prison. That case also drew U.S. criticism and contributed to a rocky period in U.S.-Malaysian relations in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.
But ties have improved on Najib’s watch. Last April, Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to visit Malaysia since 1966, and the two leaders played golf while both vacationed in Hawaii in December.
Malaysia is important to the U.S. for various reasons. It is among the 12 nations negotiating a trans-Pacific trade pact, the main economic plank of the administration’s so-called pivot to Asia. Negotiators are scrambling to finalize a deal amid U.S. hopes that Congress can approve it later this year.
Malaysia, a moderate Muslim nation of 30 million people and currently a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, is also important partner for U.S. in countering violent Islamic extremism. On Tuesday, Obama’s special envoy for the global coalition to counter the Islamic State group held talks with Malaysia’s defense minister. The State Department credits Malaysia with taking steps to halt flows of foreign fighters.
The U.S. and Malaysia cooperate on counter-terrorism and have deepening military ties, conducting joint exercises and other training activities. Malaysia sent military medics to Afghanistan, and has supported a U.S.-backed drive to counter proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
So while the White House was quick to speak out over Anwar’s conviction for sodomizing a male aide — considered a crime in Malaysia — it spelled out no negative consequences for the U.S.-Malaysia relationship, which was upgraded last year to a “comprehensive partnership.”
National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said the case raised “serious concerns about rule of law and the fairness of the judicial system in Malaysia.” But she added, “we remain committed to expanding our cooperation on shared economic and security challenges.”
The measured U.S. response reflected the delicate line Washington attempts to tread, criticizing infringements on political freedom in Asia without sacrificing its strategic goals. Matthew Pennington, Washington, AP
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