Can Anwar survive the political storm brewing within his ranks?

By Enoch Lim

Scroll through any social media feed today and you will find the same story: mounting frustration with Anwar Ibrahim’s government.

After two-and-a-half years in power, Malaysia’s “unity government”, which once promised sweeping reforms, now faces a chorus of criticism.

This is not a detailed political analysis ahead of the next general election. It is a reflection, even a lamentation, on what is going wrong and why Prime Minister Anwar’s second-term ambitions might already be slipping away.

Criticisms will always exist in politics. Yet resounding praises and positive remarks by the populace seem to be scarce every time I scroll through social media or listen to discussions among friends, families and even strangers.

I am not convinced that many are favouring Anwar, despite his fairly high approval ratings.

Questions remain. Will this administration blunder more in the next few years? Will there be sufficient time for Anwar to carry out his reformist agenda?

The clock is certainly ticking. Judging from the current trajectory, a second term for Anwar – should he retain such an ambition – might be slipping away from his grasp.

But if not Anwar, who else is worthy of leading the nation to greater heights? If the spirit of Reformasi is still a thing, who then should succeed Anwar?  

Rafizi Ramli’s resignation as minister of the economy and his recent 10-minute interview – where he discussed how he felt like a “lame duck minister” – is just the tip of the iceberg. It might foreshadow the imminent collapse of not just PKR, but could even lead to the falls of the unity government.

Eventually, the instability of party politics may trickle down to the people. We will have to suffer and endure the effects through inefficiency and incompetency. People will eventually become fed up with the shenanigans.

Opposition politicians will translate any infighting they detect in the ruling coalition into opportunities for themselves. You can bet they will capitalise on such divisiveness and weaknesses while strengthening their own ranks in return.

Such disquiet is not only exclusive to Pakatan Harapan (PH) and its allies. Barisan Nasional (BN) also experienced many cases of infighting and falling out within its ranks. This, among other factors, resulted in BN’s loss in 2018. This is merely a cycle in the world of politics.

Recently, the Selayang PKR’s youth wing experienced an exodus within its ranks, probably due to dissatisfaction with the recent party elections.

How then can Anwar convince not just the party but the nation that no form of nepotism and favouritism took place around him? Is Anwar surrounding himself with yes-men and women?

Will PKR – and every other party – be able to withstand the trials and tribulations that may come ahead of the next general election and beyond?

A key question is whether Anwar – as both Prime Minister and Finance Minister – has been consumed with so much power it has clouded his judgement. Has this hindered his political will to carry out the reform agenda to the fullest?

The PM has been playing it safe. He knows well that certain agendas he proposed will upset the equilibrium of his allies in the unity government. It is painfully obvious that certain arrangements had to be made behind the scenes for him to remain in power. He cries out that “reforms take time”.

But when is that time?

What will happen to this ruling alliance of coalitions in the next general election? Is there a chance that every major coalition in the country will go its own way after Anwar’s first term is over? Who will be allies and enemies after that?

This unity government is already shaky and treading in dangerous waters. It might be shaken even more if Anwar has no proper direction for the future – not just for PH but for the nation as a whole.

If Anwar’s leadership is not as impressive as initially expected, then PH as a coalition will suffer a severe blow. This will lead to much more bickering among allies, resulting in fewer chances to win seats at the next general election.

Many opportunities could arise within the party for allies and other coalitions to usurp Anwar’s power. Divisions may trigger a vote of no confidence, benefiting those doing the usurping. Can all members of the unity government trust one another to run this nation and place their optimism in Anwar to take charge?

Given this situation, moves to destabilise the government may throw this nation into another mess of instability – a sequel to the “Sheraton move”.

Would political leaders be so foolish to go against the orders of the Agong, who favours unity and stability? Yet, if they attempt to destabilise the government, it would be no surprise, as they would be doing it for self-serving purposes. This would be the sad, tragic and ugly part of politics.

As the years pass, I am beginning to think there is no real choice for the people of Malaysia at all. Perhaps we are merely living under the illusion of free choice and that nothing will ever change no matter how we vote.

This does not mean, however, that we abandon the idea of elections. Rather, we need many electoral reforms to address the problems that affect disenfranchised voters – including the issue of malapportionment of votes.

We are living through a crisis of weak national leadership that seeks to retain the status quo while trying to champion reformation. Many of our institutions are not being respected or held in reverence.

Many ordinary people are now sharing the sentiment that they have no progressive parties to pick and join, no reformist leaders to lead and inspire them.

Not surprisingly, many ordinary people are now politically ‘homeless’. None of the mainstream parties seem to appeal to them, their policies and manifestos sound the same. Moreover, some parties are riddled with controversy after controversy.

Should it come as a surprise that the notion of ‘unipartyism’ rings true every day? Many are inclined to think that the mainstream parties and coalitions are just two sides of the same coin. They think there is no point taking sides as there is little to separate the parties.

After all, it appears that the mainstream parties seem only interested in the vested common interests of the elite class, with only differing approaches and beliefs.

If any of our leaders are adamant about proving that this is not the case, then can any one of them rise up and break this chain of slow change? Can they rid us of the same old ways of doing things?

There needs to be dramatic and real reform that greatly benefits the people instead of resorting to “no action, talk only” (Nato) tactics. This is what the people long for.

We are told that corruption is being dealt with. But we need to see more firm action taken against high-profile politicians and public figures who have allegedly amassed wealth over recent decades.

It seems that accountability and checks and balances work only at the whims of the government, however it sees fit.

We are essentially living in a nation rife with double standards and a two-tier justice system. We see little accountability, inflationary costs of living, a vulnerable economy, regressive taxation without proper representation, and many other problems that plague the nation.

This should not be the case, yet we must grapple with this reality. Many are probably willing to give Anwar the benefit of the doubt and the chance to continue. After all, we are nearly halfway through the administration’s five-year mandate from the people.

We hope Anwar will recognise and fulfil the promises and commitments he made to the people regarding the many policies that he campaigned on and what he envisioned for the nation.

As it stands, there are so many things that Malaysia desperately needs: lower costs of living, a fairer system, the rule of law, a more vibrant economy, and national peace and unity. For me personally, we need to stay out of international affairs that do not concern us.

If Anwar does not perform up to our expectations, then we can be sure his chances of winning the next general election will not materialise.

May God bless this nation, our leaders and the people to do the right things at the right time.

Enoch Lim from Sabah is currently doing a masters in public administration at a public university in the peninsula. He had earlier studied in Sarawak for a degree in politics and government studies.

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama

1. Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
2. Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
3. Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
4. Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
5. Lawan rasuah dan kronisme

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