Does Anwar care that rakyat is dissatisfied with his performance?

 

What this country needs is good leadership. Presently, we are like a container ship without a rudder, going nowhere.

Almost on a daily basis, we read that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is addressing a group of leaders in some distant land, or has just returned from another trip overseas, or is being seen off at the airport by half the Cabinet.

Is Anwar listening? Does he read the opinion polls about him? Do his aides tell him that all is good?

Anwar should stop criss-crossing continents in trying to solve other people’s problems and championing other groups of people. His own rakyat needs him.

After a bumpy roller-coaster ride in GE15, Anwar has got what he waited a lifetime for – the premiership. What has the nation received in return?

When he was sacked by Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1998, he rebranded himself as the leader of the “reformasi” movement. Fast forward to 2023, where are the promised reforms?

After last year’s GE15, work on the election manifesto has been at a snail’s pace.

Anwar has always had a problem with numbers. In 2009, he claimed he had the numbers to change the government of Abdullah Badawi. However, those MPs he claimed to have enticed were more interested in an agricultural study trip to Taiwan. Is Anwar naive or just optimistic?

His “numbers problem” was repeated in 2013, 2018 and 2020. Are there no other issues besides numbers?

The manifesto of last year’s general election was based on an anti-corruption platform, but his unity government has reeked of hypocrisy after he teamed up with an allegedly corrupt party to form his coalition.

The nation is stumbling carelessly ahead, but Anwar has not been decisive. Politicians who allegedly make racist and divisive comments are given the equivalent of a rap on the knuckles, but ordinary citizens who criticise his administration are hauled up by the police for questioning.

What is the difference between Anwar’s green wave and PN’s green wave?

Instead of dealing with domestic problems, Anwar wants to make it big on the international stage. Why won’t he realise that charity begins at home? We’ve had decades of mismanagement and it would be good to have a PM who will focus on local matters.

Until Anwar starts a new narrative about the 2Rs – race and religion – other issues will not solve themselves.

If he continues with a lack of meritocracy in education and prolongs the quota system, he will not be able to stop the brain drain of our best talent to other nations.

Likewise, in the economy. Why should people give off their best if affirmative action policies, the dysfunctional NEP, and lack of opportunities continue to plague the nation and, more importantly, erode investor confidence?

Anwar may return from overseas and claim that he has secured billions of ringgit in investments, but until the actual work is done and the results are seen and enjoyed by all, these promises will not mean much.

Failing to focus on domestic issues will not get him re-elected. After the euphoria of him leading the nation, the rakyat’s confidence in his administration has plummeted.

Meanwhile, the opposition tries its best to bring his government down. The nation will not survive another period of instability.

So, will Anwar listen to the people who put him in power, or will he ignore their wishes? The PM must put the long-term interests of the nation before the short-term interests of his party and his own agenda. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.