Anwar: Good chance for PR to come to power, M'sia now lags behind Arab Spring nations

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said there was a good chance for his Pakatan Rakyat coalition to overthrow Prime Minister Najib Razak's BN government, which he described as "authoritarian" and trailing far behind many of the Middle Eastern countries that recently experienced regime changes due to people uprisings demanding an end to corrupt, despotic rule.

"Is there is a realistic expectation, I would say yes. In the 2008 election we won a simple majority 51% of the votes. We lost in the Sabah and Sarawak states mainly among the indigenous tribes. In the last 4 years, we worked hard and we are able to penetrate into the rural heartland... so of course, there is that possibility," Anwar said during an interview with Beirut-based Al Mayadeen TV conducted in Kuala Lumpur on November 20 and aired on December 12.

Diversity - PR's strength, not destruction

The 64-year-old de-facto head of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat dismissed the possibility that his three-party PR coalition might snap due to differing political ideologies once the general elections were over. PR is made up of the multiracial PKR, the Islamist PAS and the secular DAP.

Anwar claimed unity in diversity would be the PR's strength and not its destruction.

"[We have] PKR, the Islamic party [PAS], the Chinese-based DAP, we are diversified. One is prone to secularism and the other to Islam. [But] we came out with clear policy guidelines, what we mean by freedom of expression, judiciary, conscience, economic policy that must promote growth, must be strong in justice, equity and equitable distribution and that ... Islam is the religion of the federation of Malaysia but it must ensure complete complete independence and freedom for the people to practise their beliefs," said Anwar.

PAS is not extremist

He also refuted talk that PAS was "radical".

"I have worked with the Islamic party and it's not fair to suggest they are radical because they have agreed to this common policy platform [on various issues including] ... on gender issue, even on religious freedom."

"As Muslims, we accept the Shariah, we accept the Koran. We accept that ourdakwah, our message, should be represented... I take the view you should not deny the people from talking about Islam or Islamic state or 'hudud' (Islamic criminal law). Neither should you stop people from talking about secularism or secular laws. Our consensus is  No.1, we are tied to a constitution and No 2. we must build a consensus before we embark on any new plans or program. So I am not too worried about the outcome."

Mahathir's sons are billionaires!

A former deputy prime minister, Anwar's political career was abruptly demolished in 1998 when his former boss Mahathir Mohamad jailed him on fabricated sodomy and corruption charges that have since been overturned by the nation's highest court.

Anwar said the lack of a strong political Opposition at that time contributed to the ruling administration's abuse of power and corruption, with anyone who took a different line marked down for challenging the status quo.

"Dr Mahathir did a lot of good programs. I was with him, I was part of the team but his children are billionaires," said Anwar.

"That is the problem with most dictators you may be familair with in the Middle East. The seem to think that by attacking one, they can stop the rest. They have been proven wrong."

He lambasted Mahathir and the ruling Umno party for continuing to harass him and his family despite having already "beaten me half to death", jailed him for 6 years, most of which were spent in solitary confinement.

"They demonized me. One day I am a Muslim extremist, another day I am CIA, pro-Israel, the next day I am a sodomite," said Anwar.

Don't under-estimate the wisdom of the people

He agreed with the results of a recent survey that showed the number of Malaysian who still felt that ethnic relations was good had declined 12%  between 2006 and 2011, and that the number of Malaysians who believed that ethnic unity was good had declined from 54% to 35% over the same period, calling it a "significant shift in Malaysian thinking" that had benefited his coalition at the expense of the Najib administration's popularity.

"The result of that survey helped to fortify our position that under this administration, this government harping on racist rules, Malay supremacy, Malay rights,demonizing others, 'beware one state which under us is no good because it has been Christianised' - we ask where, what evidence? Nothing."

While he was optimistic about the Arab Spring, explaining that the emergence of 'people power' overrode the negative consequences experienced in some of the countries where the new regimes have turned out to be just as authoritarian as the deposed ones.

Anwar appeared confident that the same fervor to no allow corrupt despots to continue to rule will sweep into Malaysia at its coming general election widely expected to be held by March 2013.

"All the media here have no place for dissent or for the Opposition. I don't have minutes or airtime. Total blackout. But you cannot underestimate the wsdom of the people otherwise how do you expect them to topple the dictators, brutal regimes. People have that . So we have to work hard to engage. The development in the Arab world - the people revolution - has enormous influence on people, students who follow the developments particularly in the Middle East, Egypt to understand why. Why do the people suddenly rise to reject corruption, the abuse of freedom the un-freedom?"

Malaysia left behind

He also pointed out that the 'change' demanded by the Arab Spring protesters had resulted in many positive developments for their countries. Although the consequences would take time to fully unfold and bear positive fruit, they had already helped some of the nations go one up on Malaysia.

"We used to be better but I think you look at Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey and all the problems they are facing, I am not discounting that, they are far ahead of us. They have a free media free, they have free fair elections and they are trying to get the judiciary independent and working  and they are making various steps in amending the laws in Tunisia. Although it is a process... it is slow and people make mistakes, it is far more advanced and progressive than what we see here," said Anwar.

"Economically, we have a better a threshold. We started much earlier in terms of industrialization, getting infrastructure ready. I think we need to move on to the issues of freedom and cultural enlightenment."

Dictators & authoritarians MUST GO!

Perhaps with the ageing Mahathir, who has been accused of clinging to power, in mind, Anwar fired a final parting shot. The Arab Spring or people uprising despite its current shortcomings and hiccups are a conclusive signal that a new chapter, albeit tough and rocky, has begun for the Middle East and will spread to other developing regions including Malaysia, he said.

"A new world order is of course very relative whether you see it from Washington, London or Paris. If you look purely in terms of the change which is welcome, which is phenomenal. No one in their right minds would say it is not something that we welcome, it is painful, the process is painful and brutal as we are seeing in Syria right now but it's a process towards reform, democracy and freedom. Something positive. Dictators and authoritarians must go, there is no question. You must have legitimacy to be able to articulate policies and lead your society," he added.

Malaysia Chronicle