By Gideon Rachman | Financial Times
Published: March 23 2010 02:00 | Last updated: March 23 2010 02:00
Gideon Rachman: I met Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the Malaysian opposition, in the ornate surroundings of the Landmark Hotel in London last week. He was remarkably relaxed for a man who is due to be put on trial, on charges of sodomy next week, which is a crime in Malaysia punishable with a long jail term. If convicted, this would be a return to a prison cell for Anwar. He was arrested in the late 1990s and served six years in solitary confinement on previous charges of sodomy (later over-turned) and corruption.
Yet for a man about to undergo a humiliating and dangerous ordeal, Anwar seemed in remarkably good form: relaxed, cracking jokes and outwardly convinced that he would beat the rap. I asked him how he could be so laid-back, given the trial that he was about to face. He replied coolly: “It’s not that I’m oblivious to it, or unaffected by it, but you have to just get on with life.” He knows that he can survive prison and he has the support of a staunch and politically-engaged wife and six daughters.
I first met Anwar in 1992, when he was Malaysian finance minister. At the time, the going was good, both for Anwar and for Malaysia. The country was booming and the young finance minister was widely regarded as the favoured protégé and heir apparent of Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s long-serving and autocratic prime minister.
Since then, Anwar’s life and career have taken many unexpected turns. In 1998 he fell out with Mahathir, after launching an attack on corruption in Malaysia. He was hit with the criminal charges that landed him in prison.
But Anwar has proved remarkably resilient. He has served time in prison, he has been beaten up in custody, he has faced humiliating personal allegations and he has health problems – in particular, a bad back, that he blames on mistreatment in prison. But nonetheless, he has made a political comeback.
In 2008, Anwar’s opposition coalition won 82 seats in Malaysia’s 222-member parliament. For the first time for many decades it is possible to imagine the ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), losing power. But, as a result, Anwar is a marked man. In the coming days, as well as going on trial, he is likely to be suspended from the Malaysian parliament, following allegations he made about Najib Razak, the prime minister.
Personally, I think if I were in Anwar’s situation, I would have thought seriously about not taking that plane back to Malaysia. But he flew back the next day.
What is it that keeps someone like him going: courage, a strong family, a sense of duty, ambition, stubbornness? Probably, a little bit of all of the above. A sense of destiny also helps. When I asked Anwar if he thought he would one day be prime minister, he smiled and replied yes.
Honestly, I have lot more respect for ministers/politicians who have been to jail and yet hold fast to their beliefs/struggles for a noble cause (e.g. LKS, LGE and Anwar) than those who sit in an air-conditioned room throughout their political careers.
Remember Chengho was a eunuch in ancient China.
That was olden days. Today, one must not be a eunuch in facing UmnoUtusans.
Anwar’s name could get into Malaysia history as bold as TAR if he succeeded in bringing change to Malaysia politic. If he did it right he will be the second “bapa kemerdekaan”, TAR bring M’sia free from British, Anwar bring M’sia free from own colonization of lost cause. Due to this noble objective and dire expectation from M’sian community, Anwar must continue with his course no matter what. Sufferings of unjust trial, prison, humiliation, baseless attack are difficult to deal and bear with. However these suffering is not a real test of a leader, the real test will come when a person were empowered with position such as PM or sort. Whether he is capable of shield himself off the seduction of power, greed and influence of petty people around, make him a noble leader.
Anwar has experience the extreme up and down in life, he has given much opportunity to do the right things for Malaysia and stand right after empowered.
Anwar is the best actor comeout from Malaysia
Years in prison would have left a scar
Yet he made a comeback becoming the opposition star
He is better than the Umno leaders by far
That’s our Prime Minister-to-be DS Anwar
YB
There was a time when the initials after your name, JB (Jailed by the British – Ghandhi, Nehru, Nkrumah et al) was the hallmark of great Independence seeking politicians.
Today it must be JM (Jailed by Malaysians). Fortune and destiny favour the brave!
dpp
We are all of 1 race, the Human Race
Only an early election can speed up matters for Anwar. Sadly, that is not going to happen for his convenience. He is a wanted/not wanted man.
However, he is a brave man for standing up to this. May God bless you and Malaysia, whatever happens.
///What is it that keeps someone like him going: courage, a strong family, a sense of duty, ambition, stubbornness? Probably, a little bit of all of the above. A sense of destiny also helps. When I asked Anwar if he thought he would one day be prime minister, he smiled and replied yes.///- Gideon Rachman
The problem is that there is another who said that it was her husband’s destiny to lead the country…”Let’s not do anything unethical to stop it. It is his turn”!
And the realisation of one of these destinies will represent the thwarting of the other one.
Ironically the destiny of this country at the present time depends on which prevails.
In all his six years behind bars
The mistreatments would have left a scar
But he made a comeback becoming the opposition star
Not perfect but better than anyone in ruling party by far
That’s the Prime Minister-to-be DS Anwar
Hanjin Chengho,
Nope! This Chengho is absolutely different from the real Zheng He in China! This Chengho is a Malaysian, a disgraceful Chinese Hanjin, who is the champion in mama topper, topping his mama for his personal satisfactions! He sold all Malaysia Chinese souls and hope to BN/UMNO for his personal gains and advantages!
Shame on him and his ancestors and generations! F#@%$k his damn ancestors generations to generations!!
Chengho is a dog, a damn stinky dog who sold all Chinese hopes and souls, including his ancestors, to BN/UMNO for his personal gains and advantages! A disgraceful Hanjin who sporting no shames to face against Chinese; yet he often brag like experts in nothing! Shame on you and your ancestors, Hanjin Chengho!
Anwar has two things going on at once. The struggle for a better malaysia and his personal fight for justice. I suppose, for him, the former simply overwhelmed the latter. In any event, he can draw a lot of comfort from the fact that his fight for justice is not a lonely struggle at all. Ask any taxi driver, mamak stall owner, teacher, engineer, lawyer, businessman and others. No one believes the sodomy 2 charge. His fight is seen by most people as a fight for and on behalf of the nation against umno and umno’s cruelty and suppressive/oppresive ways. In other words, his personal fight for justice has merged into and become a part of his struggle for a better future for all of us. KS, LKS & LGE too have similar experiences.
They (and many many others like raja petra and tunku just to name a couple of them) are the commandos out in the front line of the battle field. We must provide them with the necessary and unwavering support from the rear. Yes umno will be overtaken. And yes anwar will be PM. 50plus years of abuse and wastage is more than enough.
Lets us all save malaysia, our land and our soil.
This cheng ho is an UMNO plant. Muslim – yes. Chinese – no way.
chengho: “Anwar is the best actor comeout from Malaysia”
No lah. I think that compliment should still go to P.Ramlee…
Hello…guys, how do you know Chengho is a chinese…he may be the Mamak himself…