by Tim Newton
Don’t be beneath any illusion what has simply occurred in Malaysia. The country hasn’t been freed from the bonds of a corrupt and draconian long-term government and about to soar into a brand new era of democracy, growth and prosperity.
That a 92 year old former premier, who nurtured each his current deputy Anwar Ibrahim and the ousted PM Nazib Razak, can win an election is extra an indication of the country’s issues than a prospect of recent hope.
The current Malaysia, together with its political corruption and ethnic tensions, is as a lot Mahathir Mohamad’s fault as anyone else’s. His using into historical past because the saviour of modern Malaysian politics is proof that Malaysians have a really short memory. Or perhaps they have been simply THAT desperate to eliminate Najib Razak, who by no means fairly shook the stain of the IMDB corruption scandal.
A quick history. Anwar Ibrahim was Malaysia’s deputy PM and finance minister who has been credited, and lauded, for steering Malaysia via the 1997 asian financial crisis. In 1998 Newsweek magazine named Anwar the “Asian of the Year” but later that year things became very prickly between Anwar and Mahathir just earlier than the UMNO General Assembly. (UMNO was the principle celebration within the Barisan Nasional coalition that held sway in Malaysian politics for six many years.)
“At the General Assembly, a guide, “50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Become Prime Minister”, was circulated containing graphic allegations of homosexuality, as nicely as accusations of corruption in opposition to Anwar. The guide was written by Khalid Jafri, an ex-editor of the government-controlled newspaper Utusan Malaysia. Anwar obtained a court injunction to forestall further distribution of the book and filed a lawsuit against the writer for defamation. Billion charged the creator of the book with malicious publishing of false news. The police had been instructed to analyze the veracity of the claims.”
He ended being tried in 1998 in what has internationally described as a ‘political repair up’. What was actually happening behind these dramatic and salacious allegations? Anwar was pushing for a well mannered and respectful transition into the highest job however Mahathir (who had already been Malaysia’s PM for 17 years at this stage) would have nothing of it and threw his deputy under the political bus.
Mahathir isn’t the model new start that Malaysia craves and needs. Neither is the battered and bruised Anwar, who at 70 years of age, has born the brunt of the excesses of brute pressure and political expediency of his former, and now present, Prime Minister. He has a lot of previous political baggage.
At this stage a royal pardon has been sought and, reportedly, granted, to launch Anwar from jail. Anwar would still need to contest a parliamentary by-election (which he would easily win) and then, THEN, his former mentor/foe/friend/conspirator-to-topple-Najib has to step apart and allow Anwar to be the Malaysian PM.
This long political saga is a good distance from being over but nobody should consider that that is anything other than a power seize by an ageing ‘disruptor’ and political expediency-over-integrity for Anwar..