‘It was Anwar who pursued deal’

TRUE PICTURE: Pakatan leader wanted to ensure Najib accept GE13 results, says former Indonesian minister

(Bernama) – PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had pursued a deal to ensure that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak ceded power if Pakatan were to have won in the 13th  General Election (GE13).

Hamid Awaludin, the former Indonesian minister of law and human rights who witnessed meetings between former Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla and the two Malaysian leaders, said: “Nothing jeopardised the agreement in the run-up to the election or on election day but things changed after Najib was declared the winner.”

He said Anwar had sought the agreement of the GE13 results because Anwar had “convinced himself that he would win the election” in light of opinion polls that were often in his favour and crowd turnout at Pakatan rallies.

Hamid, who was also Indonesia’s ambassador to Russia and Belarus from 2008 to 2011, said Jusuf had accepted Anwar’s request to mediate.

“He (Jusuf) did not take the initiative and approach Anwar.”

Anwar, in media reports recently, denied that he reneged on a peace pact brokered by Jusuf and claimed that the former was the one who reached out to him to offer his assistance in ensuring an orderly outcome to the elections.

However, it was reported that Anwar acknowledged that he had made the agreement with Najib, with Jusuf as mediator, but claimed that Barisan Nasional had reneged on it by the way it ran its campaigns.

The GE13 saw the Najib-led BN return to power by winning 133 of the 222 parliamentary seats, resulting in Anwar and Pakatan staging rallies across the country since May 8 claiming electoral fraud.

Hamid also pointed out that Anwar knew that Najib did not sign the agreement, “but Najib gave his word that he would honour the agreement”.

“He consented to the agreement,” he said and added that Najib delivered on his promise and called for national reconciliation during his acceptance speech.

“Najib’s deeds matched his words,” Hamid said.

He said that even a day after Najib’s victory: “I was optimistic that a deal is a deal and both sides would abide by it. But Anwar broke the deal.

“I feel that Anwar still does not accept the political reality.”

The following is the full interview:

Question: Anwar Ibrahim claims it was Jusuf Kalla who approach- ed him whereas Jusuf said he was approached by Anwar. Which is true?

Answer: I was present during Jusuf Kalla’s discussions with both Anwar and Najib. It was Jusuf who accepted Anwar’s request to mediate. He did not take the initiative and approach Anwar. Jusuf does not have any political and economic interests in Malaysia. He is busy with his affairs in Indonesia. So why would he take the initiative and approach Anwar? It isn’t logical.

Jusuf considers both Anwar and Najib as good friends. He wanted to help because they were competing fiercely with one another. That is how he saw this.

Question: Anwar claims there were several “preconditions” in the agreement e.g. free elections, fair media, etc. Can you outline any preconditions?

Answer: I am very sure that there were no preconditions discussed between Jusuf and Anwar. For me, a deal is a deal. And there was a deal that both parties — Anwar and Najib — agreed to. Some people always try and find a loophole after the event, or an excuse not to deliver on their promise. Some people are different in character to others.

Question: Anwar now claims Najib didn’t sign the agreement and it was, therefore, not valid. Jusuf says Najib did give his verbal agreement and, therefore, the deal was agreed by both parties, and was valid. Is Anwar correct or is Jusuf?

Answer: Anwar knew that Najib did not sign the agreement. Najib had reasonable political reasons for not signing it and Anwar understood and accepted it.

But Najib gave his word that he would honour the agreement. He consented to the agreement. Basic morality teaches us that a man’s word is more important than his signature. And deeds are more important than any declaration. Najib delivered on his promise. He called for national reconciliation during his election result acceptance speech. Najib’s deeds matched his word.

Question: On election day, did you feel that the agreement was still in place? Had anything happened before election day to invalidate the agreement?

Answer: I am very sure that nothing jeopardised the agreement in the run-up to the election or on election day. The agreement still stood.

Things changed after Najib was declared the winner. Even the day after his victory, I was personally optimistic that a deal is a deal, and both sides would abide by it.

But Anwar broke the deal. Perhaps, he was unable to manage his followers, especially because DAP had won more seats than Anwar’s own party.

Anwar found himself in a difficult position. But a leader must lead, not be led.

Question: Do you and Jusuf feel Anwar broke the deal? If so, how?

Answer: I feel that Anwar still does not accept political reality. Perhaps, he has things he will not say because he doesn’t want to hurt people. I don’t know.

Question: Do you feel Anwar is sincere in wanting national reconciliation in Malaysia?

Answer: I believed that Anwar had sincerity and I still hope he has.

Question: Why do you think Anwar is denying the agreement, refusing to accept defeat and organising protests across Malaysia?

Answer: From the beginning, Anwar had convinced himself that he would win the election. He had struggled for so long and he thought that this was the end of the struggle. He thought he would win the battle and defeat BN.

His belief was strengthened by opinion polls that were often in his favour. And at each rally that Anwar held during the campaign period had attracted massive crowds.

But in the end, the people’s choice is the ultimate factor in a democracy.

Anwar believed he would win the election but he was afraid Najib would resist and not hand over power.

So Anwar wanted insurance against this scenario. That is why he came up with the idea of the deal.