The Malaysian Insight

ANWAR Ibrahim still harbours hope of becoming prime minister despite the numerous setbacks he’s experienced since he started the reformasi movement more than 21 years ago.

In an interview with BFM radio today, the de facto Pakatan Harapan chief said he would feel disappointed if he did not achieve the aim but stressed that he would “move on” nonetheless.  

“If given the opportunity, I think the country needs reform and I think I can play a small part in that process,” Anwar replied when asked if he still wants to be prime minister.

In the latest setback, Anwar was supposed to take over the reins as prime minister later this year from Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but the PH coalition collapsed following defections in late February.

Anwar, however, said he would “move on” and retire to become a senior professor somewhere if the goal of being the prime minister is not achieved.

“I must be honest. Maybe some form of disappointment. But I think that Malaysia deserves to function as a mature democracy and we should create the impression that politicians may not necessarily be corrupt and arrogant. But other than that, we should move on.”

As the face of the reformasi movement, Anwar helped unite opposition parties with disparate ideologies, such as DAP and PAS, into political alliances that challenged Barisan Nasional’s 61-year hold on federal power.

Between 1999 and 2019, Anwar was jailed for two six-year stints in what he said were trumped-up charges.

Anwar was the prime minister-designate of the main opposition coalitions in successive general elections from 1999 to 2013.

These coalitions are Barisan Alternatif in the 1999, 2004 and 2008 general elections and Pakatan Rakyat in 2013.

In the 2018 elections, he struck a deal with former nemesis Dr Mahathir Mohamad, where the latter would be prime minister once PH was elected.

Dr Mahathir was supposed to hand over power to Anwar later this year but both were betrayed by senior leaders of their respective parties.

In the BFM interview today, Anwar refuted the suggestion that he was impatient to become prime minister.

“I waited for 21 years. Can you still continue with this mantra of impatience?”

He said when he started the reformasi movement, he understood what an uphill task it would be to transform Malaysia’s political culture which for six decades had been driven by BN.

The reformasi movement distinguished itself from BN by advocating for multiracial politics, an end to corruption and building strong, independent institutions.

“I understood what I was in for. I truly believe in reform. I am sick and tired of endemic corruption and abuse of power. I have powerful enemies who are corrupt.

“I understood from the very beginning, if you really believe in reform and discard obsession with Malay supremacy and a blinkered view of Islam, then I knew how hard it is.

“But we have seen a willingness of the people to embrace this multiracial agenda, this reform agenda. Certainly, it’s not enough and we have to push harder, work harder.”

Anwar said if he still did not reach that goal, he would retire to write. – April 29, 2020.