Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s former deputy premier, is ready to return to Malaysian politics after becoming disillusioned with prime minister Abdullah Badawi’s administration.
“When the future permits, if my constituents consider I should participate, I will do so,” Anwar told Emerging Markets in a telephone interview yesterday from his Washington DC home.
The former official bluntly dismissed his ban on re-entering Malaysian politics until 2008 as baseless and politically driven: “The position of the court is at the behest of the political masters,” he said.
Confirming speculation that he is actively pursuing his political revival, Anwar also expressed his frustration at what he sees as Abdullah’s failings. “I supported his [Abdullah’s] initial pronouncements: to tackle corruption, to have open measures,” he said. “But clearly this has not been implemented.
“Nothing seems to have been achieved: you still have the issues of the judiciary, police brutality, virtual control of the media by the government, and – what is worse – rampant and endemic corruption.”
Anwar’s comments come at a time of great tension in Malaysian politics as Abdullah and his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, have been publicly trading accusations. Perhaps surprisingly for a man who was jailed for six years during Mahathir’s tenure, Anwar, whose conviction was quashed in 2004, finds Mahathir’s treatment – including being shunned by the media – troubling.
“This sort of thing is quite personal. But the government has to respond to some of the issues being raised, because the allegations are quite specific on the issue of corruption,” he said. Mahathir has accused Abdullah of inappropriately giving contracts to family members.
“The second issue, which to my mind is unfortunate, is that Abdullah is following the same process of denying him access to the media that Mahathir did. It is within [Mahathir’s] rights to respond and give the facts.”
Anwar also distanced himself from speculation linking him with the role of secretary-general of the United Nations. “Yes, there have been overtures… but as of now I am more committed to the Malaysian agenda.”