Once the soul of Anwar's reformasi, now cast aside to burn in hell? Anwar, Najib & Zahid red-faced & panicked by anti-graft rally

 

Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (politicsnowmy.blogspot.com) - It looks like the end is coming sooner rather than later for embattled Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The entire nation seems to be angry with him and his Little Napoleons - erupting into complains and loud rumblings of protest against his handling of the government whether openly on the streets in rallies and demonstrations or in statements and criticisms expressed privately at home or offices, coffee and food shops or publicly on the internet and social media.

"After being suppressed and threatened for more than 2 years, I think the people have had enough of Anwar and his ministers like Fahmi," an analyst told PoliticsNow Malaysia. 

"Gag orders, using the MCMC, the MACC or the police to intimidate the people into silence won't work anymore. The people have had enough, they want him out and the faster the better. It's unfortunate that Anwar seems to have forgotten his own roots - how it was the people who defied the government apparatus with rallies and protests to carry him when he was still in jail and his Pakatan Harapan coalition from being forever in the opposition since the early 2000s to 2018 when they finally made it to Putrajaya (the seat of government power)."

The analyst was also referring to internet regulator MCMC which falls under the control of Anwar's unpopular communications minister Fahmi Fadzil and anti-graft agency MACC, which has been accused of becoming an even more blatant tool and lackey of the topmost politicians in the land than even during the corruption-riddled eras of ex-prime ministers Najib Razak and Mahathir Mohamad.

SOUL OF 'REFORMASI' LEFT TO BURN IN HELL?

All eyes are now on 'The People Against Corruption Rally' due to be held tomorrow (January 25). It is expected to be well attended and what has defied logic is the way the Anwar regime, which professes an anti-corruption stance, has gone all out to repulse and block the protest.

Why is this? Is it because Anwar fears the protest will draw further scrutiny into his own roles in securing a partial pardon for the jailed Najib, who is now not only gunning to be released into house arrest but reportedly wants a fresh and full pardon as well?

"The right to free assembly is not guaranteed by the Peaceful Assembly Act - it is the soul of the reformasi movement," former MP for Batu Tian Chua told PoliticsNow Malaysia.

"The PM must intervene to clear all obstacles against any public assembly," added Tian, who was referring to the reforms movement used by Anwar as his platform for political change in Malaysia.

LAST-DITCH BID TO DAMAGE CONTROL?

But will Anwar really intervene? Unfortunately, it looks unlikely that the rather narcissistic Anwar will come to his senses and opt for a more mature and balanced style of dealing with his critics. Or perhaps, it is too late for him to do more than go through the motions - having burnt all his bridges after allegedly signing a pact with the 'devils' in Umno to grab the PM's post in the aftermath of the 2022 general election. 

“Go on, protest corruption … if you want to rally, go ahead and rally,” Anwar was reported as saying on Friday (January 24). “There are just certain locations where approval hasn’t been granted."

However, cynics saw it as just a last-ditch bid by Anwar to damage control the tsunami of brickbats hurled at his government, with the PM still withholding the all-important all-clear for the rally to be held at the famous Dataran Merdeka field. 

One of the city's rare green lungs, Dataran Merdeka has become a symbol of Malaysia's democracy as it was the home ground of many of Anwar and Pakatan's own rallies staged in the past to overthrow Umno's six-decade-long political hegemony. 

Organized by the Secretariat of People Against Corruption or SRBR, The People Against Corruption Rally will begin at 2.30pm in front of the Sogo mall before marching to the Dataran. 

NAJIB & ZAHID'S GRAFT-RIDDLED UMNO FEARS BEING EMBARRASSED BY RALLY? 

Indeed, is Anwar bowing to the wishes of Umno, the ally party in his unity government most crucial for his survival as PM? Is he afraid of the public spotlight shining once again on the strong speculation that he was only able to become PM due to a secret deal struck with Umno president Zahid Hamidi, who has since had all his corruption charges withdrawn by Anwar's prosecutors, and with Najib who still holds clout as the previous Umno president?

What about interfering in judicial appointments - the very same crime that Anwar used to love accusing ex-mentor Mahathir of but is now himself accused of perpetrating in an even more heinous way? Whose judgement is Anwar trying to influence, if at all he is? Najib's? Or does Anwar just want top judges to be obedient and loyal to him, sitting in his pocket for use as currency for the future?  

"The statements issued by nine former Presidents of the Bar expressing concern over interference by the current govt in the appointments of judges is a damning indictment of Anwar Ibrahim as PM," wrote former law minister Zaid Ibrahim on X.

"When I suggested he should resign over the (Najib) addendum issue, you said I was extreme. Now, even the whole judiciary is threatened, described by the nine Bar Presidents as far worse than under Dr Ms's rule. That is saying something," added Zaid, referring to Najib's plea to be released from prison into home arrest.

ANWAR FEARS SPOTLIGHT ON HIS OWN ANTI-GRAFT SHORTCOMINGS?

If the corruption-riddled Umno fears being embarrassed by the January 25 anti-corruption rally with its poster-boy Najib still facing trial for allegedly siphoning out billions of ringgit during the 1MDB debacle, the Sabah assemblymen bribery scandal may be Anwar's own Achilles heel.

Not only has Anwar stoutly defended Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor, who is at the centre of the scandal captured on video, the PM also gave the thumbs up to the appointment of Musa Aman as the new Sabah governor. Musa Aman, who is known to be close to Hajiji, is the long-time former Sabah chief minister notorious for his fabulous wealth and links to illegal timber logging syndicates.

That Hajiji and Musa are crucial for Anwar to maintain his tenuous political footprint in the East Malaysian state has not gone unnoticed. Even the DAP, the cornerstone party in Anwar's Pakatan coalition which prides itself on taking principled stands, has gone mysteriously quiet after an initial outburst demanding a full investigation. 

The MACC, whose chief Azam Baki was reappointed by Anwar despite previous calls by Pakatan for his sacking over a shares insider trading deal, too appears to have joined the Anwar's 'silence is golden' convoy - despite video footage that showed a group of Hajiji's assemblymen discussing the distribution of bribes having already gone public. 

"Umno, Zahid and Najib are themselves corruption-tainted, so naturally they would fear an anti-corruption rally," said the analyst.

"For Anwar and Pakatan, how can they not be aware of how unhappy voters are with their performance? They not only broke promises but are now even worse than those they accused of corruption and abuse of power. Zahid's acquittal, Najib's addendum, Sabah scandal, Musa Aman and Azam Baki's reappointment, the MAHB-BlackRock deal, Selangor's DRT bus deal, even Anwar's own excessive overseas trips - all these are so unpopular."

RUBICON HAS BEEN CROSSED - FIGHTBACK AGAINST ANWAR'S 'GANG OF HYPOCRITES' HAS BEGUN 

But the biggest giveaway may be how Anwar and his inner circle is reacting - the panic and paranoia displayed by his government indeed shows he knows his political day of reckoning has arrived. 

"Whatever he and Fahmi now try to throw at the people to stop them, I think the Rubicon has been crossed - the people will fight back no matter what. To them,  Anwar and Pakatan have become a mother gang of all hypocrites," the analyst said.

"And if later, any of them are caught for any corruption misdeeds, the penalty demanded by the people will be the most severe ever seen in the country's history - even more than in Najib's case - because no one likes to be duped and double-crossed by liars masquerading as politicians and reformists," opined the analyst.

Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia

https://politicsnowmy.blogspot.com/