LETTER | A dream to achieve, another to reawaken

“Those who wrought great changes in the world never succeed by gaining over chiefs: but always by exciting the multitude. The first is the resource of intrigue and produces only secondary results, the second is the resort of genius and transform the universe.” - Martin Van Buren, eighth US president

LETTER | Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, some time back, told the people of his dream and that dream was to change civil society for the better in terms of equality, prosperity, and progressiveness.

From 1997 until 2018, the people witnessed his tumultuous ordeals and trial by fire and false accusations coupled with great personal and family sacrifices, but he stood steadfast in this dream.

His dreams captured the imagination and aspirations of the multitudes. His sufferings and the extreme tests on his resolve and character validated and convinced the people of his dreams for the 14th and 15th general elections.

His dream became the people’s dream.

For GE14 and GE15, many voted for that dream. After GE15, he was able to make that dream come true. It has been a long arduous and frustrating odyssey too for those who bought into that dream.

Different dreams

Sadly now, we know there were two dreams. The dream Anwar had us believe and longed for is not the same dream he has for himself.

Anwar’s dream was already been achieved in November 2022. He was made prime minister. After nearly 30 years in the wilderness, he has achieved his ultimate and long-cherished dream.

Normally, when a person has achieved their ne plus ultra dream, he would likely rest on his laurels and cling on to savour the sweet fruits of the long and arduous labours of his triumph for as long as possible.

Anwar’s appeasement and pandering to one segment of the society, inequality of education and poverty eradication funding, inability to resolve the economic hardship of the masses, his seemingly arcing to his own religion, failure to stamp out corruption except to exact vengeance on his nemesis and cronies and being somewhat submissive and supine to Umno, testifies to his current taciturn and inaction on urgent issues.

Many of the policies from the coalition government have turned out to be superficial and of little substance and it is the case of “the more things change, the more they stay the same”.

The dream of change of the civil society for the better in terms of equality, prosperity, and progressiveness has not happened but has turned into a nightmare.

The PM’s idea of fixing the economy is asking those who have stolen money from the country to return it, a somewhat indolent and simpleton suggestion.

We are not to worry about our depreciating ringgit as other countries have the same problem but what he doesn’t tell us is that our currency has depreciated more.

Shedding responsibilities and statements on major issues and passing them to institutions to make is becoming a norm.

Ignoring the opprobrium of the masses on freedom of choice, speech, and gathering and the increase of censorship and repression of minorities happens regularly.

Clinging on to power

Perhaps the expectations from the people were too much for one man or the many years of struggle, disappointments, and incarceration have diminished his fire.

Many a person would have broken down earlier, he however stayed the course but for another less ambitious but more personal dream.

Anwar has lost the zeal and drive to change the nation and its future. His very actions and statements reflect that not a leader but a person-in-power doing all means possible to cling to that power.

His moral compass started going south the day he practised nepotism with his daughter’s appointment and with more appointments of politicians to government-linked companies and government departments to likely consolidate his position and power, any talk of morals is a sham.

Every day there is anger, frustration, and disappointment from the supporters and even non-supporters of the Madani government on the U-turns, dilution or non-implementation of election promises.

This is because the people still believe in the dream.

The nation and the people have twice been close to realising the dream but each time it has been shattered by the very person who was to make it come true.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad is history but Anwar still has the opportunity and time to reawaken the dream he had and shared with the people and would lead them to a better nation.

Anwar must decide if his real dream in history is merely to be judged as the 10th prime minister or a leader who was a genius and wrought great changes for the nation and its people.

The people’s dream still lives on and Anwar must rekindle and resurrect this same dream so that not only will he be revered as a great leader who dared to wrought great changes, but the nation and its people will be grateful and never forget the dream one man shared with them.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.