Malaysia argues her case by loose political talk by the three men involved: the present and former mentris besar of Johore, Dato' Abdul Ghani Othman and (federal cabinet minister) Tan Sri Muhiyuddin Yassin, and the foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, whose constituency adjoins the area of Singapore's reclamation plans. The heat rises by the day, and unfortunately in instances like this, heat is raised unnecessarily in the other as well.

But why do funds like Calpers withdraw from the Malaysian bourse? And keep their funds in Singapore and Brunei? Poor human rights record? Or a unmentioned fear of the future after its 76-year-old leader passes on without a clear successor left to resolve the mess? Is there any truth in the Calpers claim? Would the foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, explain in a manner that the stupid foreigner can understand why his view that Malaysia has a poor human rights record is wrong? Or the Suhakam chief, Tan Sri Musa Hitam, explain, in a roadshow, why this foreign perception of Malaysia's poor human rights record is wrong?

The war on terror is fine, echoes Malaysia's foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, but Washington inhumanely mistreats its detainees. UMNO Youth chief, Dato' Hishamuddin Hussein is likewise incensed. The US ambassador, Mrs Marie Huhtala. denies it, of course. As the Malaysian ambassador in Washington when the US had harsh words for how Malaysia treated her detainees and Indonesian and Bangladeshi migrant workers. The US is silent on its detainees, holding to its high moral ground at home while losing their cool abroad. And so Malaysia, and many other countries. But where was Dato' Seri Syed Hamid and Dato' Seri Hishamuddin when the Inspector-General of Police mauled the just detained former deputy prime minister, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim? Where is their concern for their government's ill-treatment of a man-who-would-be-prime minister, now in a wheelchair and severe back pain? Their silence at the time was deafening.

Syed Hamid sidestepped reporters' questions on what Param would do now that he has returned. It is the norm that many diplomats of high rank are given up to three years extension on retirement.

The Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Mahathir Mohamed, was sure Suhakam behaved as NGOs in the West and its reports not worth the paper it is written on; the deputy prime minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is in no doubt it is unfair even if he had not read it; the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Norian Mai, did not read it, would not co-operate with Suhakam, but is sure the police is libelled. The parliamentary secretary to the ministry of information, Senator Zainuddin Maidin, wanted Suhakam to have cleared the report with the government before releasing it. The foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, wants it to be more circumspect in how it handles public inquiries, means it must ensure the government comes out smelling of roses even if objects to putting its version before it.

So, is the Malaysian government targetting those who favour the Taliban in Malaysia, but would not mind those who support the Masood faction? Could there be some truth to the Australian government's charge that Malaysia provides a safe haven for those fleeing the Talibans on condition they leave as expeditiously as possible to third countries? Our Yemeni foreign minister, Dato' Syed Hamid Albar, denies it. But there has been an unsual arrival of Afghans flying first class and staying in five-star hotels. If Malaysia is frightened of Afghans fomenting rebellion in Malaysia, why are they allowed here? Or is she saying that only Talibans export revolution and others do not?

There is no continuity in the embassy there. Malaysian interests are usually ignored, and it is individual ambassadors and diplomats who rescue it from the anonymity it is consigned to in official Washington. The Malaysian prime minister, Dato' Seri Mahathir Mohamed's need to meet President George Bush would not be as desperate if the Malaysian representation in Washington was as good as it should be. These visits are arranged not by proconsular visits by our Yemeni (as Dr Mahathir described him recently) foreign minister, Dato' Syed Hamid Albar, but by personal contacts the mission has in Washington.

All this is well and good. But it goes against the grain of Malaysia's international posture. The European Parliament wants Malaysia to stop the preventive detention, as under the ISA, of political opponents. The foreign minister, Syed Hamid Albar, and other cabinet ministers, decry conditions the US puts before President George W Bush would meet Dr Mahathir.

The health minister, Dato' Chua Jui Meng, lies in Parliament about the jailed former foreign minister, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, meets European Union ambassadors individually over two days, after he meets ASEAN and other envoys after the Keadilan president, Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, meets them over her husband's medical problems. The government arrests eight under the Internal Security Act to yet destroy the likes of what makes it nervous. Its nervousness is reflected in the deputy prime minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's remark when he told police after the arrests that "one black eye is enought" and did not want two or three more.

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