A Year in Power: Malaysian premier Anwar searches for support as frustration rises over slow reform
Marking his first anniversary of coming to power, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahm admitted he was still struggling to win over ethnic Malay votes and acknowledged frustration over the slow pace of reforms
(ABC News) – Marking his first anniversary of coming to power, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahm admitted he was still struggling to win over ethnic Malay votes and acknowledged frustration over the slow pace of reforms. But he defended his unity government, saying it was now politically stable and able to fully focus on bolstering the economy and improving the people’s welfare.
In a candid interview with private television network TV3 late Tuesday, Anwar said that while he understood discontentment because of the slow pace of his government’s reform plan, “we must navigate wisely and prioritize political stability.”
Anwar, 76, whose sacking and imprisonment in the 1990s led to massive street protests and a reform movement that rose into a major political force, has been a long-time opposition leader. He clinched victory last year in the country’s general elections.
Despite a two-thirds majority in Parliament, Anwar’s unity government has been plagued by the powerful opposition Islamic bloc that further expanded its influence in state elections earlier this year. The Perikatan Nasional (PN), underpinned by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, now rules four of Malaysia’s 13 states.
In the interview, Anwar accused the opposition of falsely portraying his government as too liberal and sidelining Malays, who account for two-thirds of Malaysia’s 33 million people, making it difficult for him to reach out to the community.
“There is some truth to it (that Malays do not support the government) but it is because they have been inundated by claims that the government isn’t Malay and is against Islam,” Anwar said. “This is disgusting political slander.”
