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By Mihar Dias January 2026
Malaysians have endured many political embarrassments over the years, but being casually described as a “gold mine” for foreign bankers in correspondence linked to Jeffrey Epstein is a new low — even by our generous standards. https://www.malaysianow.com/news/2026/02/01/it-could-be-a-gold-mine-anwar-praised-in-2012-email-involving-sex-predator-epstein
The recently released Epstein files revealed a 2012 email exchange in which an individual close to Anwar Ibrahim proposed arranging a private meeting between the PKR leader and US banker Jes Staley, with Epstein himself in the loop. The justification? If Anwar became prime minister, he would “clean up” and potentially open up a “gold mine” for JP Morgan. https://www.malaysianow.com/news/2026/02/01/it-could-be-a-gold-mine-anwar-praised-in-2012-email-involving-sex-predator-epstein
Let that phrase linger.
Not “Malaysia will prosper.”
Not “reforms will uplift the people.”
But a gold mine for a foreign investment bank.
Whether or not any meeting ever took place is beside the point. What matters is the mindset behind the message — that Malaysia, under Anwar, was seen not as a sovereign nation with interests to protect, but as a lucrative opportunity to be unlocked.
And suddenly, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s old warnings don’t sound so exaggerated anymore.
Back in 2012, Mahathir accused Anwar of being too close to US interests and potentially serving foreign agendas. https://www.malaysianow.com/news/2026/02/01/it-could-be-a-gold-mine-anwar-praised-in-2012-email-involving-sex-predator-epstein
Critics mocked him as paranoid, bitter, and out of touch. Yet here we are in 2026, discovering that powerful figures were privately discussing Anwar as a profitable political investment.
Coincidence? Perhaps.
But politics, like banking, rarely runs on coincidence alone.
The timing couldn’t be worse. This revelation surfaces just as Anwar faces mounting criticism over the Malaysia-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement — a deal some experts argue is heavily tilted in Washington’s favour, binding Malaysia closer to American geopolitical priorities.
When you place the “gold mine” email beside a controversial trade agreement that appears one-sided, a worrying picture begins to form.
Not proof of wrongdoing.
But a pattern of proximity.
And in geopolitics, proximity often comes with expectations.
Let’s be fair — there is no evidence Anwar personally dealt with Epstein or his circle. But leadership isn’t judged merely by what one does; it is judged by the company one keeps and the interests one attracts.
If foreign bankers once saw Anwar as a ticket to easy profits in Malaysia, the rakyat have every right to ask: at whose expense?
History is filled with nations that didn’t fall to armies but were quietly absorbed through deals, dependencies and economic leverage. Tun Mahathir, for all his flaws, understood this game well. He knew sovereignty is rarely stolen overnight — it is eroded clause by clause, agreement by agreement, handshake by handshake.
The Epstein email may be embarrassing, but the bigger issue is sobering.
Malaysia should never be viewed as a “gold mine” for outsiders.
It should be a nation whose leaders negotiate fiercely for its people, not a prospect casually marketed in foreign correspondence like a promising stock.
If anything good can come from this awkward episode, it should be a renewed vigilance among Malaysians — a reminder that independence isn’t just about waving flags and singing anthems. It’s about guarding who gets access to our economy, our policies, and ultimately, our future.
Perhaps Tun Mahathir wasn’t merely being cynical back then.
Perhaps he was simply being realistic.
Mihar Dias (mihardias@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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