Great Leaders Make an Impact on Lives of Ordinary People
Anwar's visit to Permatang Pauh should be emulated by all politicians
When Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's Prime Minister finally made it to visit Permatang Pauh during his recent official visit to Penang, it brings him closer to the voters who may have thought that he had abandoned them.
As the proverbial Malay saying goes, some politicians have become like 'kacang lupakan kulit.' After winning the general election, they disappear into their ivory towers and hide away from the people.
When issues are brought to their attention, they spread rumours that the complainants are "difficult to work with," when in the first place, they had never met the complainant personally nor spoken to her.
Their arrogance of these representatives of the people is simply obnoxious. After winning an election, they think they have achieved success through their own popularity.
One of them has learnt the lesson the hard way, when his own party members trounced him, and voters did not want him in the constituency.
Instead, these politicians from Pakatan Harapan should emulate the example of Anwar. It was not difficult for him to give an instruction to the Immigration Department to set up additional lanes to allow easy access into Singapore. I am personally impressed with how he responded to the issue faced by the people on a daily basis. It shows that he cares.
If only politicians learn to remain humble and submit themselves to the hands of God and yield themselves to Him alone, seeking His guidance on how to lead the nation, they will soon be elevated when the time is right.
As a Christian, I will quote from my scriptures: "The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground." (Psalm 147:6)
From Prisoner to PMX
Look at Anwar's own political struggles. For nearly half of the time, he spent languishing in a prison cell.
He was accused of being an agent of the US, an agent of Israel, of China and of Russia. He suffered under the former regime of Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Najib Abdul Razak.
All sorts of political gimmicks were whipped up to assassinate his character and to destroy his political career.
Anything that would cut off his support amongst the Malays, they would play up against him, to the point that certain communities were sidelined just because of the toxic propaganda that was whipped up against him.
Yet, in the nick of time, because of one mistake by his nemesis made, too costly to be retract his own words, Anwar was preferred by the Seri Paduka Yang DiPertuan Agong and appointed as Prime Minister.
Support came from the East, which was least expected by most people. For the sake of Anwar, two of DAP's most senior leaders extended an olive branch to Sarawak. It was heartwarming to see the reconciliation happening at the eleventh hour, and the rest is now history.
On Sept 20, 2018, Malaysiakini wrote a piece about Anwar's journey as a political reformist going through 20 years of trials and triumphs.
No one would expect five years down the road, he was finally elevated as the nation's 10th Prime Minister (PMX) when all pundits were expecting the outcome to be unfavourable for Anwar and the coalition that he leads.
Everyone was thinking that his chances were very slim because all odds were against him. East Malaysians would not work with DAP, although they were prepared to consider Pakatan Harapan as a whole.
After all, the Agong did not give too much consideration, at least in perception of the general public, to Pakatan Harapan right during the Sheraton Move.
But the country, having gone through topsy-turvy during the pandemic and flash floods under the leadership of two prime ministers could no longer tolerate another change of government.
The logical thing which the SPDA did was to understand that the people wanted the coalition with the biggest number of seats won to form the government with the other coalitions.
It would look bad on Malaysia if all the losers came together to form a government after the general election, because Pakatan Harapan won the highest number of seats.
The party that Pakatan Harapan considered to be its biggest 'enemy' agreed to support the unity government under Anwar, and this made the decision a lot easier for the Agong and for Sarawak and Sabah political parties to swing their support towards Anwar.
After all, the Sarawak Parties Alliance (GPS) had to listen to the rumblings from the 60 percent of their voters who did not want an extremist Islamic party to helm the nation.
Although Anwar and Pakatan Harapan have played a key role in elevating the long-neglected Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) partners, Sabah and Sarawak, the coalition was always perceived as an Opposition group.
The inclusiveness of East Malaysia in Anwar's politics is obvious. After then Pakatan Rakyat came into power in several states in 2008, the state governments declared Malaysia Day as a public holiday.
Consistently, it was also Anwar who had brought the Borneo regions into the minds of West Malaysians during his numerous ceramah where he would include the Kadazan-Dusun and Dayaks as his own 'children.'
Throughout my school education, we had only learnt that East Malaysians were the "other races" comprising of a long list of tribes. The three major races were always Malays, Chinese and Indians.
Do Only What is Right
But hopefully things will change now. So, as Anwar celebrates his 25th Year of Jubilee, let us in our own ways pray and seek God for the direction that this nation should take. Anwar and all the politicians now helming the 27 ministries should not forget all their grassroot supporters.
In what used to be the thwarted and convoluted thinking propagated by self-seeking politicians through their propaganda, we now have to subject the wrongdoers to the judiciary, and if found guilty, they have to bear the consequences.
However, when it is obvious that it is mere political vengeance upon someone who carried out his or her job according to the law, then, the court's time should not be wasted.
Finally, the Government must never sideline the widows, the single mothers, the orphans, the stateless, the disabled, the refugees in our midst, the sick and the aged, and the B40 community.
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