Odd couple: Malaysia’s Anwar
endorses long-time foe Mahathir in battle against PM Najib, setting aside
decades of bad blood
Anwar
Ibrahim, the imprisoned de facto leader of Malaysia’s opposition alliance, has
endorsed a political compact spearheaded by his arch nemesis Mahathir Mohamad,
as ruling party rebels and the opposition join hands to fight against
scandal-tainted Prime Minister Najib Razak.
This new coalition could potentially
pose the biggest political threat to Najib, who has been facing persistent
calls to step down over multibillion-dollar graft allegations tied to the state-owned
investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) that he oversaw.
On Wednesday, US prosecutors filed five
lawsuits to seize more than US$1 billion in assets they said were tied to money
stolen from 1MDB.
Both Anwar and former premier Mahathir
have long been central figures in Malaysian politics. A bitter feud between the
two senior leaders spanning nearly two decades has shaped the political
landscape.
Anwar, who is one year through a
five-year jail term for sodomy – a charge that he and his supporters claim is politically
motivated – said there is “every reason” for the opposition to work with anyone
who is committed to an agenda that pushes reforms, democracy and the rights of
the people.
“Our position is
to collaborate with all progressive forces on a democratic reform agenda and
pro-rakyat policies,” he said from prison through an intermediary, using
the Malay word for citizen.
Anwar was at a court hearing this week
when he provided the comments.
This is the second time Anwar has been
sent to prison. He was first jailed by Mahathir on charges of sodomy and graft
in the late 1990s, after he was sacked as deputy prime minister by Mahathir.
Anwar, who has since been cleared of
his earlier convictions, said he is willing to overlook the decades of bad
blood he has had with Mahathir if it means giving power back to the people.
“Contingent upon a policy which is
committed to reforms, democratic and pro-citizenry, then there is every reason
for the opposition to engage and work together,” he said.
Najib has so far appeared unassailable
amid the 1MDB scandal, which is the subject of global money laundering probes
in at least six countries.
He has weathered persistent attacks on
his premiership from the time the scandal first broke 18 months ago. He culled
dissenting voices from within his ruling United Malay National Organisation
(Umno) and used draconian laws like the Sedition Act to silence activists and
opposition party leaders.
Najib has so far appeared unassailable
amid the 1MDB scandal, which is being probed in at least six countries.
In his first comments since the US
announced its actions, Najib vowed to “fully cooperate”.
“Allow the process to take its course,
but I want to say categorically that we are serious about good governance,” he
said, also pointing out that the action was limited to people named in the
complaints, including his stepson, Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz.
“Those people involved will have their
say through the court process in the United States,” Najib told reporters.
Just last week, Mahathir announced his
plan to form a new splinter party made up of rebels from Najib’s ruling Umno,
which will serve as a platform to work with his old foes in the opposition.
Mahathir, who ruled for 22 years, has
made no qualms over his main objective, which is to oust Najib over his
handling of 1MDB.
It is widely speculated that former
deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin – who was sacked by Najib last year –
will step up to lead Mahathir’s new party, lending influence from the southern
Umno stronghold state of Johor. He could possibly be a candidate for prime
minister should the opposition succeed in removing Najib.
Also in the mix is former Umno
vice-president Shafie Apdal, whose resignation from the party sparked a mass
exodus of Umno members from the Semporna parliamentary constituency of his home
state of Sabah, another Umno stronghold.
This article appeared in the South China Morning Post
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