Will the Malays trust Anwar Ibrahim?

By Jey San

I don’t think so. Anwar Ibrahim as the de facto leader of the opposition appears to be just another politican who continues to maneuver to ensure that his own ambition to be the Prime Minster of Malaysia is fulfilled.

Most of Malay community felt sorry for him during his incarceration in 1998 when he had ambitiously tried to overthrow Mahathir, similar to how he had toppled Ghafar Baba for the deputy president’s post in Umno with his American-style campaign within the Umno faction.

The rest is of course history. Although the Malays were split during 1999 election, he realised that without the support of the non Malays it would be an uphill task to bring a strong and viable opposition, and the platform fell on his lap in GE12 with the rise of Hindraf where his loosely held coalition was able to win over five states in Malaysia.

Thereafter he proved to be a chameleon extraordinaire in enticing the public especially the non Malays with moderate and liberal stance with chauvinist DAP and Islamic based PAS as and when it was convenient.

Today the anchoring chauvinists DAP (different from the yesteryear DAP) with a hate agenda against the Malays and the ever condescending PAS are ready to twist and turn to fulfill the ugly political aim of Anwar and their own without any actual solutions for Malaysians.

The latest series of conflicting issues such as the Syura Council issue within PAS, the reluctance to accept the Borneo based parties as part of the coalition, and latest in the series being Hindraf with the blueprint to uplift fellow Malaysian seems to be not one that concerns the public, but rather how the public will be able to fulfill the ambition of Anwar Ibrahim.

I have nothing personal against Anwar Ibrahim as a Malay leader, but as a leader he should be assertive without political suaveness if he is principled enough to stand for any Malaysian besides being there for typical rhetoric when the occasion warrants it, for situations like what Borneo and Hindraf are seeking for the well being of the community.

The Malay population is now savvier in their approach with their inclusiveness as Malaysians when real cause for fellow Malaysians are there rather than running a political agenda divided and decided with hate mongering agenda based on political survival like what the opposition is doing.

The slogan, the grandeur is not relevant as Malays are intelligent enough to understand when political objectives defeat its purpose for fellow Malaysians and their cause. So Anwar, how can the Malays trust you when you swing like a pendulum as and when it suits you, like with the issue of the Borneo states and Hindraf?