Anwar’s feud With 99-Year-old rival looms over Malaysia’s revival
Anwar vowed to change Malaysia when he became prime minister. Now, his critics see him perpetuating revenge politics
(TBS News) – After finally becoming Malaysia’s prime minister in November 2022, Anwar Ibrahim faced a choice: Target political opponents who oppressed him for years, or usher in the new era of democratic reforms that he had long promised.
Anwar had reason to want revenge, particularly against former premier Mahathir Mohamad, now 99 years old. In a defining moment of Malaysian history in 1998, Mahathir had sacked Anwar from his posts as finance minister and deputy prime minister, and kicked him out of his party. Then Anwar was arrested, severely beaten and thrown in prison for years. He spent so long in solitary confinement that he read the complete works of Shakespeare four times.
At the same time, Anwar, now 77, had reinvented himself as a global champion of democracy, winning support from the likes of former US Vice President Al Gore and UK billionaire Richard Branson. Anwar had become an advocate of free and fair elections, and campaigned to eliminate graft and crony capitalism. As part of that, he’d called for independent agencies like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, or MACC, to be free of political interference.
Roughly two years into his term, it’s increasingly looking like he’s opted for revenge — and, according to Anwar’s critics, the MACC is at the center of this retribution.
