The future of one of the world’s ambitious digital-age projects is now in doubt because of the political upheaval shaking Malaysia.

Lost in the international furor is the fact that un-honourable role of the world’s high tech leaders – from Bill Gates to the heads of Netscape, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, Compact, Silicon Graphics, Siemens, Sony, NTT and others – are all members of an international advisory committee to the Malaysian Multi-Media Super Corridor (MMSC).

Two years ago, before the economics crisis in Asia slammed into Malaysia, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad asked me to join that committee to "provide counsel to the Malaysian government and to me personally". I accepted with alacrity.

In fact, the MMSC was – and remains – a visionary project for the Internet Age. It is, in effect, the attempt to create a Silicon Valley in a country that 30 years ago was primarily exporting rubber, timber and tin.

The MMSC was intended to cap Mahathir’s Vision 2020, a program to propel Malaysia into the ranks of the world’s developed economies.

What made the project particularly worthwhile was Mahathir’s promise to pass a set of "cyber-laws" that would guarantee participating companies complete freedom of access to information, freedom to bring in knowledgeable workers from other countries, and the best intellectual-property protection in the world. The project envisioned creation of a 21st-century multimedia university, a system for "telemedicine," a move to electronic government and other "Third Wave" innovations.

Even more striking, Mahathir seemed the only Muslim leader in the world with an Information Age vision of the future, instead of an obsession with the past. Moreover, he had done much for his country, raising his people from poverty and widening the middle class, while preventing ethnic conflict like the anti-Chinese pogroms that bloodied Indonesia’s streets recently.

Regrettably, in the last few weeks, Mahathir’s vision seems to have evaporated. Instead of a sound strategy to compete in the global Information Age, he seems to be adopting the tactics of a police state.

Like many Malaysians, I am both perplexed and shocked that Anwar Ibrahim – who just one month ago was the appointed successor to Mahathir – was not only arrested on politically motivated charges ranging from sexual misconduct to sedition, but also turned up in court showing signs that he had been severely beaten.

Anwar seemed the very symbol of the 21st.century, globally linked economy Malaysia wished to build a worldly, sophisticated Muslim leader who has called for women’s rights, freedom of the press, and other Third Wave advances.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and claims he has been targeted by Mahathir’s inner circle, who, he says, feared he might expose their corruption if he come to power.

I am distressed that Dr. Munawar Anees, the former editor of Periodica Islamica, an associate of Anwar and a friend of mine, was also jailed, in a trial that lasted only 33 minutes, he appeared in court with his head shaved (his colleagues suspect the application of electrodes) and shaking so severely, he had to be covered in blanket. Anees was sentenced to six months in jail for having "confessed" to unlawful relations with Anwar.

Anwar has denied this and charged that Anness’ confession, like those of others, was forced in order to sully Anwar’s reputation among his Muslim followers. Lawyers for Annes, meanwhile, have told the court that he has disavowed the confession and appealed his sentence.

The last report I received from Kuala Lumpur was that Anees had been transferred under guard to the cardiac-care unit of a local hospital and that his wife was sheltered in the French embassy.

I expressed my concerns about these two men directly to Mahathir in a letter dated September 18, to which he replied on September 22. Mahathir insists that no one have been compelled to sign "affidavits against Anwar and that I have no power to free Munawar." He wrote that "I have a duty to protect the country from a man like Anwar".

In light of Anwar’s beating, Mahathir’s closing sentence rings particularly hollow: "Please let the process of law follow its course and then judge me and my country".

Unfortunately, these events threaten to destroy the legacy of the many positive achievements Mahathir brought to his country. They will also reduce the likelihood that the many companies pledged to participate in the MMSC project will continue to do so.

I know Mahathir is passionately committed to this project. But as I wrote to him, "The Internet cannot deliver its full economic and cultural benefits in a climate of political fear".

Can anyone imagine Silicon Valley, with its pronounced libertarian culture, generating endless innovations and whole new industries in the presence of political repression?

Mahathir cannot expect the world’s greatest high-tech companies and leaders – whom he promised complete freedom of information and a host of other "guarantees" – to help bring the digital future to his country while his police throw his former protégé and people like Munawar Anees into jail, beat them and have to hospitalize them. That is not the future he held out to his foreign friends or pictured in Vision 2020. (Los Angeles Times)