Is it time for Anwar Ibrahim to leave? | Politics News

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is being questioned about his leadership following the humiliating actions of his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in the last state elections.

The lack of votes left many wondering about his chances of success in the national elections expected next year.

Pakatan Harapan has been in opposition since taking power in February 2020. Alleged coalition elements allied with politicians defeated in the historic 2018 elections led to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and the fall of the government.

Anwar, who was named Mahathir’s successor, has been trying to regain power ever since, but suffered a setback last month in a landslide defeat in the Melaka state election.

The PH coalition managed to hold only five seats in the 28-seat state assembly, with the Allies, the Democratic Action Party (DAP), winning four and Amanah one. Anwar’s party, the People’s Justice Party or the PKR, did not win a single seat despite 11 candidates.

The sad performance put Anwar on a Twitter trend in Malaysia, with thousands of people talking about poor election strategies, and some asking for the retirement of young leaders to make room.

Analysts say voters were punished by the PH for showing controversial figures, including former PKR rival Idris Haron, who was ousted from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) after he withdrew his support and helped cause the state government to collapse in October. .

Political analyst Bridget Welsh told Al Jazeera that Anwar, in particular, should be blamed for a poor strategy of planting “frogs” – a term used for party members – especially Idris, who was maligned by PH on the way to victory in the state. Back in 2018.

“She (Anwar) defended ‘frogs’, pushed for ‘frogs’ and insisted on Idris Haron. These people are infected. Idris Haron was the reason Melaka Harapan won the GE14 (2018 election) and what Anwar did “Anware doesn’t really understand the land,” he said.

Anwar has been one of Malaysia’s leading politicians for almost 40 years. He appeared as a fire student leader, rose through the ranks of the UMNO, and was ousted by Mahathir as deputy prime minister and finance minister in 1998, at the height of the Asian Financial Crisis.

The country saw agog as they accused and tried sodomy: a dirty mattress was taken to court as key evidence.

Anwar has been jailed several times since his arrest and was jailed several times, but his downfall and subsequent protests have helped grow Malaysia’s first effective opposition.

Collective decision

Anwar’s wife founded the Keadilan or Justice Party while Anwar was in prison; it is a representation of the black eye he suffered at the hands of the country’s police chief while his flag was being held.

Outside of prison, the Anwar party became a formidable force, building a coalition that had an increasingly strong performance in the 2000s elections.

In 2018, in the wake of the $ 1 million MDB scandal, and once again with Mahathir, Anwar’s former tutor, Pakatan Harapan was able to get the win.

Anwar was pardoned and released from another prison shortly afterwards, and Mahathir appointed Anwar as his successor.

But the transfer of power never happened.

After the fall of the PH government, Muhyiddin Yassin was a veteran politician who had the backing of parliamentarians and was sworn in as Malaysia’s eighth prime minister.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil should not blame Anwarri for the Melaka disaster.

“It is a collective decision, any decision taken in the PH is taken collectively. At the time, it was a collective decision to side with Idris, “he told Al Jazeera.

The People’s Justice Party was founded by Anwar’s wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who removed Anwar from office after being charged with sodomy and imprisoned. The flag symbolizes the black eye that Anwar developed after being struck in custody [File: Lai Seng Sin/AP Photo]

It’s not the first time Anwar has failed to deliver.

Last September, the former prime minister said he had a strong, formidable and credible majority to form a government, but only saw his plan fail.

And after Muhyiddin he resigned After losing support in August, Anwar once again claimed a majority to form a government, losing to UMNO Vice President Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who became the country’s ninth prime minister.

In fact, Anwar claimed to have numbers until 2008 when he gathered a crowded rally to claim that he had enough support to replace the then Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but nothing came of it.

Al Jazeera requested an interview with Anwar, but his office did not respond to the publication.

Those who may be Anwar’s successor are younger and fresher faces, such as his daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, and Pafr vice-president Rafizi Ramli.

After the defeat, Rafizi, who has maintained a low political profile in recent years, tweeted that Pakatan leaders would look into the outcome, “reject the ego” and hope to do better in the next general election.

Anthony Loke of the DAP, also the former Minister of Transport, stated that the PH should not stress the appointment of Anwar alone to the top post, suggesting that other names be considered as well.

The pro-Anwar group, Otai Reformasi, jumped to Anwar’s defense, saying it should not become a “black sheep” for the outcome of the Melaka election.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Communications Director Khalid Samad Amanah said Anwar had weaknesses, but that did not mean he should go, especially given his contribution to changing the face of Malaysian politics.

“Anwar has his weaknesses but no one is perfect. If we make a decision based on weakness, there will be no perfect candidate. We need to sit down together and make a decision, ”he said, referring to the coalition’s choice to become prime minister. He did not delve into what he considered to be Anwar’s weaknesses.

The reform was part of the appeal of those who voted for the Pakatan Harapan coalition. But the Conservatives fought for change, and the government backed down from signing a UN anti-discrimination agreement after thousands of ethnic Malaysian Muslims, the country’s ethnic majority, protested against the plan. [File: Mohd Rasfan/AFP]

Khalid, who represents the city of Shah Alam, was skeptical about whether Pakatan would be nominated for the 15th general election, but said PH would be a collective decision of all parties.

“The PH presidency council will decide when it will arrive. We are fighting for some ideals, not for some people. What brings these ideals together and brings all parties together is a clear opportunity, ”he said.

Finding a perspective

The Melaka results show that the coalition is trying to regain power in a country that is 60 percent Malaysian Muslim but has large communities of Chinese and Indian descent and indigenous ethnic groups. Elections will be held in the state of Sarawak in Borneo this month.

Analysts say the headline of the agenda is to win the Malaysian ethnic vote, which was once a Mahathir party after Bersatur’s side, but is now under Muhyiddin and part of the National Perikatan (PN) government.

Ei Sun Oh, a senior member of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, says Anware is often too liberal and failed to appeal to Malaysians who find non-Muslims too religiously conservative.

“Voters voted for the PN with racist Bersatu and religious PAS. Especially PH is a dilemma that a supposedly progressive and liberal is facing, which is making it harder to capture the base of Malaysian voters who are increasingly conservative, racist and religious, both young and old, ”he told Al Jazeera.

Politicians inside Pakatan are also concerned.

“The voting base is saying something. PH is in jeopardy, as we did with Bersatu in 2018, we don’t have a Malay nationalist party, ”said Charles Santiago, a member of the Dang Klang in DAP.

In addition to receiving votes in Malaysia, the PH must try to attract young people to the cause.

The Coalition has seen its support for young people evaporate, largely due to non-compliance with reforms promised when they were in power, such as the repeal of repressive laws such as the Sedition Act, the abolition of student loans and accession to the International Covenant. Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). The Malay ethnic group abandoned the plan after a mass protest.

Former PH youth poster, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, has also left Muda to create a party based on his youth. The party has not yet secured an official record, but has created a new rival in its efforts to attract young Pakatan voters.

Young people have found their political voice in Malaysia, but have been critical not only of recent governments but also of the Pakatan Harapan opposition. [File: Arif Kartono/AFP]

With Malaysia finally set to lower its voting age to 18 – a reform pushed by Syed Saddiq when he was youth and sports minister – the youth vote will widen from 14.9 million in the 2018 elections to 22.7 million in 2023. the deadline for the next election.

Ong Kian Ming, DAP’s Assistant Director of Political Education, says PH should push for a youth-oriented narrative to capture young people’s vote, focusing on employment, technology and educational opportunities.

“PH needs to come together again to present a new and more compelling narrative that is moving forward. PH leaders need to show their vision and direction to Malaysian voters in order to change the current and lukewarm sentiment that is not in favor of PH, ”said Ong, a Bangi lawmaker outside Kuala Lumpur.

Anwar is the key for the Welsh analyst.

The 74-year-old veteran says he needs to make room for those with more dynamic ideas if the PH is to effectively challenge him in the next election.

“The point here is that he (Anwar) is not ready to give up.

“You need to position younger leaders and change them as a coalition. In short, Anwar needs to make an exit plan, ”he said.