Azizah hopes to meet Howard but cautions on sanctions

By TONY PARKINSON 2000-08-19

Dr Wan Azizah, wife of jailed political leader Anwar Ibrahim, hopes to meet Prime Minister John Howard during a visit to Australia in October.

Malaysia's leading dissident, Dr Azizah has become the symbol of the Reformasi movement's campaign of opposition to the government of Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Her visit will create a diplomatic dilemma for the Howard Government, risking a further deterioration of relations with Kuala Lumpur if senior ministers meet her.

Australia was among Western governments to receive a stern protest note from Malaysia after Mr Howard and Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer joined an international attack on the legal processes that led to last week's sentencing of Anwar to a total of 15 years in prison for alleged sexual misconduct.

Dr Azizah told The Age she welcomed the international community's support for the campaign to free her husband, who claims to be the victim of a political conspiracy orchestrated by Dr Mahathir.

However, she does not favor trade reprisals or other sanctions. "It is not good to have these strained relations," she said.

Dr Azizah said that although a proper dialogue between Canberra and Kuala Lumpur should include an acceptance of the capacity to make criticism when necessary, Australia had already "copped a mouthful" and she doubted the acrimonious exchanges were hurting Dr Mahathir domestically.

"Of course, the judiciary and the processes involved (in her husband's trial) showed a lot of flaws, and I think it is right for the international community to defend what are supposed to be international standards of law, without boundaries.

"But I don't want to see our economy suffer, with sanctions and all that. The wealthy people will not suffer. It is the ordinary people on the street, many of whom are our supporters, who will suffer."

She also said she did not want to give the Mahathir Government any excuses to intensify a campaign of harassment and intimidation against her supporters.

"They are already being denied promotions, they are denied contracts, and business opportunities," she said.

Dr Azizah's teenage son - one of six children - is boarding at a college in Melbourne's western suburbs.