On reflection, looking back on Mahathir’s sacking of Anwar, we may only now be starting to understand the reasoning!
Picture Credit: Jez Timms
On reflection, looking back on Mahathir’s sacking of Anwar, we may only now be starting to understand the reasoning!
OPINION . . .
Malaysia was now on the road where “Islam will be seen as the solution”. The skilful use of political division was creating this opportunity. Malaysia was set for becoming part of this movement.
Over the last decade PKR has become Malay dominated party.
The reformists and future leaders who could maintain the spirit of reformasi have been purged.
PKR will become more suited for PAS.
Mat Sabu might be right. Anwar will be part of a new world order.
The Muslim Brotherhood was involved in the events in Bangladesh, al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun were certainly mixed up in the rioting in the UK and other parts of Europe.
This was an opportunity for Anwar to be the Islamic leader he wanted to be (at least its the dream).
Reformasi . . .
Since Anwar became prime minister, people have witnessed a government that has thrown the reformasi book in the trash bin.
Anwar was taking Malaysia not towards a progressive nation based upon the virtues of Islam, but towards a hard-line political Islam.
The true spirituality of Islam has been crushed in favour of an institutionalised repressive form of Islam.
The intentions (or is it just opportunity?) was coming out.
A Muslim Brotherhood brokered agreement between Anwar and PAS was big win for the latter's vision of a state based upon the guidance of political Islam.
The cost for PAS was simply allowing Anwar 2nd term as prime minister. Five years isn’t a long time for PAS and then the party will be free for selecting its own leaders.
Umno will probably be virtually destroyed come the next general election, leaving PAS as the dominant party on the Malay Peninsula.
The electoral numbers will see DAP being dumped.
The position of Bersatu within the PN coalition remains unclear at this time.
Trojan Horse . . .
According to the mythology in the Odyssey, a wooden horse was left outside the walls of the city of Troy, as a “prize for the people of Troy”.
The Greeks had been fighting the army of Troy, but couldn’t get inside the gates of the city.
One night the Greeks left a wooden horse outside the gates of Troy with soldiers hiding inside.
They would open the gates of Troy once the horse was wheeled inside.
The Greeks completed the deception by sailing away.
They returned, under the cover of darkness, and waited.
The gates opened.
The Trojan horse means trick where the person pretends he's someone else, and once in power, radically changes into the true intentions.
Throughout history there have been many Trojan horses.
There's the case of Kim Philby, double agent, who rose through the ranks of the British civil service after WWII.
Philby had been passing sensitive pieces of information for the Soviet Union all the time until he defected in Moscow in 1963.
Philby was a celebrated hero of the Soviet Union.
A more contemporary example was the US President Joe Biden.
He was elected as moderate democrat, but has been responsible for some of the most radical polices the US has ever seen.
True Colours . . .
The evidence was quickly growing that Anwar Ibrahim was Trojan Horse.
Anwar was co-founder of the Muslim youth association ABIM, and was eventually recruited by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamed into Umno for improving the party’s Islamic credentials.
Many people at the time thought that the young activist Anwar would eventually join PAS, as the party was very much aligned with his thinking, ideology, and philosophy.
Anwar quickly moved up the ranks of Umno, eventually becoming deputy prime minister.
During the tenure in government, Anwar worked on Islamising both the civil service and education system.
Some are saying, Anwar has continued this programme as prime minister of the "unity government".
Upon his sacking from all government and party positions in Umno by Mahathir in 1998, the reformasi movement was formed around Anwar.
Pakatan Harapan was about reformasi.
Many supporters had hopes (some still do) that Anwar would bring Malaysia towards more progressive and multicultural nation.
On reflection, looking back at Mahathir’s sacking of Anwar, we may only now be starting to understand the reasoning.
Unlike the British people, who have very quickly woken up to the political agenda of their new prime minister Keir Starmer, Malaysians are very slow on waking up.
Murray Hunter takes a trans-disciplinary view of issues and events, trying to relate this to the enrichment and empowerment of people in the region.
He's member of the Center for Policy Initiatives (CPI) Council and Editor at Large for the CPI website.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by the author/contributor do not necessarily represent those of the Center for Policy Initiatives (CPI).
This Article originally appeared here . . .
Related External Link . . .
https://permadumalaysia.blogspot.com/2024/08/new-broker-ikhwan-muslimin-makes-anwar.html
