Is Ijok The Turning Point In Anwar Ibrahim's Political Career?
Reading about Anwar Ibrahim in the international media, one would think that if elections were conducted tomorrow, the former Deputy Prime Minister would win hands down. Alas he won't be eligible to take part in the polls for a 'little while' longer. And if the Barisan plays the game as it is expected to, then general elections would be held before Anwar's ineligibility expires. That is the current view among political circles in Kuala Lumpur.However one thing is sure. Anwar over the past few days has had better press and more optimistic reviews than in the previous year. The heat emanating from Ijok is partly responsible for this, as is the public exposing of DPM Najib's Achilles' heel, Altantuya. The vulnerable position Najib seems to be in at the moment has sparked interest in the future of the current Umno leadership and questions are being asked if this by-election marks the return to power of the charismatic Anwar?
Najib is the scion of an aristocratic family, whose father was the second Prime Minister of Malaysia. While he's a powerful national figure in his own right, Najib is still considered by many non-Malays as merely a Malay leader. He has somehow not been able to transcend that invisible barrier and be counted as a leader for all Malaysians, the way that the Tunku had or for that matter even Pak Lah. Non-Malays don't trust leaders who portray themselves as only champions of the Malays as Najib has time and again done. Even his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak, was till the end looked upon with suspicion and fear by the non-Malays. Tun Razak playing midwife to the birth of the New Economic Policy only served to entrench their distrust.
Anwar on the hand has been able to cross that hurdle without difficulty and although he has played the Malay card deftly many times, the people, including the non-Malays surprisingly consider him as a leader for all Malaysians. With him there is no lingering suspicion about his motives or game plan. "Everyone would benefit" seems to be the opinion, however misplaced that trust may be.
If we take the current senior Umno leadership, with the possible exception of the Prime Minister, absolutely no one including Najib has gained the trust or confidence of the non-Malay. Apart from Pak Lah almost every Umno pemimpin has openly played up Malay feelings and fears at some point or other for personal political gain. If the non-Malays too had a say in who becomes Prime Minister after Pak Lah, chances are that every Umno leader including Najib and the other pretenders to the PM's chair would be tossed out. That would leave only one former Umno stalwart in contention, Anwar Ibrahim, the wily Malay politician who successfully transcended the invisible race barrier.
Interesting read from Channel Newsasia: Malaysia's Anwar: "Now give us your vote"
Image - Source
Labels: Elections, Malaysian Politics.
posted by The Malaysian. at 4/23/2007 01:53:00 PM
7 Comments:
Keep it up Anwar! Show the people of all races that you are fighting for the rights of ALL Malaysians, and not Malays, or Chinese or Indians as all those BN racist politicians want the people to believe.
The bodek pro-BN mainstream as usual PERSISTENTLY PLUGS THE LINE THAT ONLY RACIAL POLITICS OF UMNO BN will prevail with the intention of splitting multi-racial PKR into racial groups fighting each other, Indians vs Malays.
Anwar, can and must, certainly must HALT THIS SLIDE TOWARDS SICKENING RACIAL POLITICS OF THE UMNO/BN TYPE WHICH WILL ONLY BENEFIT THE UMNO/BN ELITES.
In politics anything is possible including effecting a paradigm shift away from racial politics.
With the benefit of hindsight, it is indeed ironic that Anwar (in his capacity as Finance Minister during Dr M's tenure)described the Barisan Nasional Government in October 1995 when delivering the Budget at the Dewan Rakyat (in the following words:
"A majestic tree in the field,
providing cover from the sun;
and shelter from the storm."
Of course, the economy then was doing well, real gross GDP increased at an average rate of close to 9 per cent per annum for 8 consecutive years compared with 9.2 pc in 1994. Unemployment declining to its lowest at 2.8 pc. Exports increased by 22 pc to total RM187 billion. And etc etc.
Today that tree is diseased and can no longer give an effective shelter. Its truck, branches and twigs including leaves are corrupted with fungi and rot. The dying tree is only sheltering with a useless bunch of monkeys. In Chinese saying that conveys wisdom, "shu dao mi hou san", means that "in order to diperse the trouble-making monkeys, the tree must be chopped down."
Metaphorically, the tree must make way for another new tree. Parasites of that tree must also go including the monkeys.
Not only is Anwar facing a turning point". In fact all Malaysians are in the same circumstances...facing a "turning point". And the next general election is also another crucial "turning point". malaysian voters will make this difference of choice, whether they want to "turn" around in circles or make a big u-turn, turning to betterment and headway.
Do we want to lag behind or move ahead? Do we want UMNO to continue leading this country downhill? Why are we not progressing ahead in all fronts? Age of our country has got nothing to do with being poor and rich, a country. India and Egypt are more than 2000 years old and are poor. Canada, Australia and New Zealand are only 150 years old and today, are developed and rich. Natural resources also got nothing to do with being rich and poor. Look at japan, or even Singapore. Lacking natural resources did not make them poor.. Japan has limited territory, inadequate agricultural resources but she is second or third in world economy. Switzerland is another example. She has no cocoa plants but that didn't make her having the best chocolate in the world!
Race and skin color are also not important. Don't blame the skin. Many labeled lazy in their home countries are productive power when they migrate to rich European countries. What is the difference then?
The difference is our leadership, those in power. their attitude and their handling of the education and culture aspects. Our backbone leadership no longer practices the following principles:
(1) Ethics, a basic principle;
(2) Integrity;
(3) Resposibility;
(4) respect for laws and rules;
(5) Respect rights of other citizens;
(6) Working love;
(7) Strive for saving and investment;
(8) Will for super action
(9) Punctuality
We are doing badly in most things because our top leadership lacks the right attitude.
If Malaysians love this country, voters must reflect and change, act!!
Never thought one day I will support Anwar especially after the reformasi sandiwara in front of the courts in KL. But like they say, even a week is a long time in politics. How scenes have changed. A rudderless Malaysia, reeking in corruption and slurred in the eyes of the world by the Mongolian murder. Anwar returns. And this man returns after being beaten blue, stripped, jailed, tormented mentally and his family put out to humiliation. But he returns. That is a leader. And a leader by definition must have followers. I listened to this man during a ceramah at Batang Berjuntai...please count me in. This man has gone through much and still stands up. That alone is enough to qualify him to lead.
I do hope Anwar gets the pardon he needs to contest incase it is held earlier.
For whatever it is, he should have a fair play.
If u r happy with your life especially in the last 10 years, u must be a big time BN contractor or the proxy of BN's big guns!
For a nobody like me, I say enough is enough, BN has their days, it's time to put it to rest.
What choice do we hv if I dun give my vote to the opposition?
If anything , as a sustainable race they are certainly in serious doubt for as you and some overpreviledged informed analysts/pretenders have postulated there remains an undoubtable dearth of truthful uncorruptible Malay leaders at
A L L levels...in all fields...
xcept maybe poetry or wayang kulit
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