Kalla, a respected statesman who has worked hard on conflict resolution throughout Asean, said he was contacted by Anwar in Jakarta and was asked to broker a pre-election agreement under which whoever won GE13 the other side would respect the result and allow for a smooth transition.
Kalla apparently visited Kuala Lumpur on several occasions and carried with him a message from Anwar for Datuk Seri Najib Razak . The Anwar offer was a deal to respect the GE13 results, even if the winner had only a slim margin.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Kalla obtained a verbal assurance from Najib that either winner would respect the results, even if it were a slim margin. This was Anwar's proposal, not Najib's. And Najib agreed, or at least it looks like that from the Wall Street Journal quote below:
"Mr. Anwar sought Jusuf Kalla's assistance to secure a mutual agreement between BN [Barisan Nasional, the National Front] and [Pakatan Rakyat] stating that both sides agreed to accept the results of the general election, even in the event of a slim majority by either side,'' an adviser to Mr. Najib said. "The prime minister reiterated privately to Jusuf Kalla and in public before the election that BN would respect the will of the people and accept the election results, even if the opposition wins.''
It looks like Anwar sought a deal, and then when the GE13 results were announced, he decided to violate his own proposal and go into Black 505 mode instead. Perhaps it was a proposal he intended to keep only in case Pakatan were to win GE13? Perhaps he never intended to keep his word?
In any case, Kalla seems to be angry with Anwar now. He is accusing Anwar of breaking his own proffered pledge. Kalla made this all clear when he told The Wall Street Journal what he said to Anwar and how Anwar replied after GE13.
Mr. Kalla said that the outcome of the balloting, held on a Sunday, was clear. "We had a commitment,'' he said. "On Monday, I asked Anwar to accept it and look at reality. But they said, 'No, no, no, no.' ''
Kalla did not mince his words with The Wall Street Journal. He has clearly accused Anwar of reneging on a secret deal that he, Anwar, had proposed to Najib. And Kalla, a friend of Anwar's must know the true story because he was Anwar's chosen emissary to Najib.
All of this was about a pre-election agreement, when Anwar asked Jusuf Kalla to speak to Najib about a deal to accept the election results. But there are also unconfirmed rumours that Kalla may have carried a message from Anwar even after the GE13 results, and this time about another proposed deal. The rumours are of a failed offer from Anwar offer to form a coalition with BN under certain conditions.
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