Murad said that he was involved in the pay-out of RM38 million (USD 10 million) between 1992 and 1997 to the American-based organisation called Asia Pacific Policy Centre (APPC) headed by Douglas H. Paal. In the past few days, suggestions had been made by Barisan Nasional propagandists that APPC is CIA outfit and that Douglas Paal is a CIA agent, because he was former Senior Director from Asian Affairs (1989 to 1993) of the National Security Council (NSC) of the United States.
However, there is something amiss in this allegation that Anwar was a CIA agent. If Anwar was a CIA agent, it should be the CIA funding Anwar. But according to Murad, it was Anwar funding the APPC and Douglas Paal - which would make the CIA an agent of Anwar!
Murad and the Barisan Nasional must decide what is the allegation they want to make against Anwar: that Anwar is an agent of CIA or that CIA is an agent of Anwar.
If there is proof that Anwar is an agent of CIA, receiving money from CIA funds for his activities, then Barisan Nasional would be fully justified in their attack on Anwar for unpatriotic and anti-national activities. But if the CIA has become an agent of Anwar, then it presents a completely different picture - and may be Anwar deserves praise for his prowess in suborning and subverting the CIA.
Be that as it may, the Barisan Nasional propagandists should get their act together, and decide on a consistent line - whether they are accusing Anwar of being an agent of CIA or the CIA of being an agent of Anwar!
(4/11/99)