Anwar is the snitch for the Americans?

Can the statement of US Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice urging Malaysia to ensure a "transparent" investigation into sex misconduct allegations against PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim be interpreted as Anwar is the “snitch” for the Americans?

US Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice urged Malaysia to ensure a "transparent" investigation into sex misconduct allegations against PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Rice said US would continue to speak out on cases involving human rights and politics although it did so "in a spirit of respect for Malaysia".

"The United States doesn't recognize this very firm barrier that it is simply internal affairs when a case of this kind comes up, but we are going to continue to work with Malaysia," she told reporters.

"One of the things that we have said is that we want to see transparency and for rule of law to be completely followed here."

Malaysia has accused the United States of meddling in its internal affairs by raising concern over Anwar's arrest last week on sodomy charges - the same charge that saw him jailed a decade ago.

Rice's remarks are bound to infuriate the Malaysian government where a few leaders have attacked Anwar as a “snitch” for the Americans.