Malaysia may not be in big trouble yet. While it still has a robust free press and whistleblowers are protected, the current issues have a chance to be addressed fairly. But the media is under pressure to conform and whistleblowers have been arrested instead of the corrupt officials.

The movement behind the Arab Spring has a different connotation in Southeast Asian countries where Burma for example, is slowly transitioning into democracy and Thailand and Pakistan are emerging from periods of military rule.

It is true that most Western media have not taken the accusations against Anwar Ibrahim too seriously. There are three good reasons for this.

The modern splendor of Kuala Lumpur help disguise one of the world's most insidious authoritarian governments. Sadly, this country's appalling human rights record remains buried