Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim is always making so much controversy in Malaysia’s political scenario. When Tun Dr Mahathir asked Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim to resign in 1998, he should quietly resigned and then slowly making his way up in Umno. Instead of resigned with an open heart, Anwar decided to fight Tun Dr Mahathir. In my opinion, this is the greatest mistake he had ever made in his entire political career. Anwar chose to fight his superior and in doing so, he had created the most turbulence period in the political history of modern Malaysia. During that time, Anwar with all his followers made street demonstration and caused havoc and instability in the country. Anwar, unlike all other Malaysian politicians, has followers who are willing to live and die with Anwar. Prior to joining Umno, Anwar was the President of the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) and although he was a graduate, he declined to work with the government. Anwar Ibrahim with his staunch followers established Yayasan Anda; a private school that Anwar and his friend established to cater the needs of those who are not so fortunate to do Higher School Certificate in government school. In reality, the school was used by Anwar Ibrahim to recruit and to train his future followers. Many were amazed by his eloquent style of speaking and many choose to become the followers of Anwar. When Anwar was appointed as Minister by Tun Dr Mahathir and later on as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, many of Anwar’s followers had benefitted from the association with Anwar. Many of Anwar’s followers accumulated wealth and living a luxury lifestyle. Anwar claimed that Tun Dr Mahathir was practicing cronyism but in reality, he was the one who practiced cronyism. Many of Anwar’s friends had become rich and influential after Anwar had became a Minister. Many are waiting for Anwar to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia so that they can acquire more wealth and power. On the day, Dato’ Seri Anwar had to relinquish his position as the Deputy Prime Minister was the day of great catastrophes for all the Anwar’s cronies.
Dato’ Seri Anwar has long dreamed to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Indeed, he was very close to become one. However, Anwar was not destined to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Anwar thought he was popular and has many followers so, he decided to fight Tun Dr Mahathir. In return, Tun Dr Mahathir fought Anwar back and finally Anwar was sentenced to six years of imprisonment. Anwar was released in 2004, contested in Permatang Pauh by election in 2008 and won the election and became the opposition leader in Parliament. In case, the opposition parties win the coming general election, Anwar will sure to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Will Malaysian as a whole accept Dato’ Seri Anwar as the Prime Minister of Malaysia? In Democracy system, the leader of the party that wins the majority seats in the Parliament will become the Prime Minister. Whether Anwar is a homosexual or bisexual, in case the opposition parties win this coming general election, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim will certainly become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. No one is certain whether Barisan National or the opposition will win in the next coming general election. Since Muslim Malays are not the majority voters in Malaysia, there is a possibility that the opposition parties may win. Some Muslim Malays are not eligible to vote because they do not register themselves as voters. Some Muslim Malays denounce election because they believe it is non-Islamic. Some Muslim Malays and non-Muslims regard the moral problem of Anwar is not an important issue and they may vote for Pakatan Rakyat.
Recently for a second time, Dato Seri Anwar was charged in the court for sodomy. Although Anwar was not sentenced to imprisonment because of sodomy but his image among the Muslim Malays in Malaysia as a great Muslim leader had greatly tarnished. Anwar in the past had the image of an Islamic leader and many including Tun Dr Mahathir believed that Anwar Ibrahim was a man of piety. Whenever Anwar made speeches, he will quote many verses of the Quran and this led to many Malays believed that Anwar is a pious and religious leader. When Anwar was charged for the second times for sodomy, except of Anwar’s staunch followers, many Malays start to believe that Anwar is practicing homosexuality. Anwar’s image of piety starts to fade away. The court freed him from the charges due to the lack of evidence but to the common peoples the presence of Anwar’s DNA in the rectum of Mr Saiful Bukhari is a sufficient evidence to imply that Anwar had performed the act of sodomy on Saiful Bukhari. The image of piety has tarnished from Anwar and Anwar is now looking for another image that will help to sustain his political survival. The best political image Anwar can rest on is the image of liberalism and secularism. Anwar has the support of Tuan Guru Nik Aziz and Anwar relationship with Tuan Guru Nik Aziz is sufficient to maintain the support of the Muslim Malays in PAS toward him. Even though many Muslim Malays in PAS have doubted the piety of Anwar, but they will still support Anwar, because of Anwar’s association with Tuan Guru Nik Aziz.
Non-Muslims Chinese and the Indians will love the image of liberalism and secularism portray by Anwar. Anwar knows that to win the election he needs to have money and in order to have money; he has to be friendly with his sponsors who are mainly non-Muslims, local and abroad. Anwar must spelt out his thinking, ideas and feeling that suit to the non-Muslims and his financial sponsors. Anwar regards himself to be at war and he needs to use all possible tactics, regardless as lawful or unlawful to kill his enemies; Barisan National. I think, according to Anwar the outcome that is to win the general election is more important than the methods used to reach the outcome. Anwar starts to dance the song of freedom, fairness and justice to all races, freedom to choose your sexual and religious lifestyles, freedom to criticize other religions, the fight against corruption, the fight against cronyism and nepotism and above all, to fight for justice to all Malaysians. The slogan justice to all races in Malaysia is the song that Anwar uses in order to make Najib Tun Abdul Razak will also dance with the same song. Anwar explicitly expressed his point across the country that if he becomes the Prime Minister of Malaysia, there will be justice to all races in Malaysia. I think the slogan of 1Malaysia mooted by Dato’ Seri Najib is in response to the song played by the opposition party of equality and justice to all races and the slogan of Malaysia is for Malaysians. With the slogan of 1Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Najib starts to take charge the welfare of the Chinese and Indians which previously under Tun Dr Mahathir was taken primarily by the President of MCA and MIC respectively. Dato Seri Najib wants to tell to the Malaysians that I am the Prime Minister not only for the Malays but also for the Chinese and the Indians. In doing so, the credibility and the respect of MCA and MIC presidents in the eyes of their communities reduce dramatically. This help to break Barisan National into pieces.
On the other side, Anwar Ibrahim also wants to become the Prime Minister for not only the Malays but also the Chinese and the Indians. In order to do that he must make sure he is popular to all races in Malaysia. Anwar decided to use his speaking power to influence all the three races in Malaysia. Anwar thinks he must talk differently at different racial function. When Anwar meet PAS members, he will talk to the tune of PAS so that all PAS members will like him. When Anwar meet with the Chinese, he will talk on the subjects that love by the Chinese. When Anwar meet the Indian, he will talk on subjects that love by the Indians. When he talks at Homosexual and Lesbian function, he will talk to the tune of those groups. When Dato ‘Seri Anwar talks in the United States and England, he will talk about plurality of religion, freedom of writing and giving opinion in about all issues including the need to reform the laws related to sexual crimes in Malaysia. In my opinion, Allah has grant Dato’ Seri Anwar the ability to talk and to impress others with his talk and unfortunately he is using it to call peoples, either to himself or to his party but not to Allah. In this era of communication technology, Anwar cannot escape from the detection by others on the subject he addresses to the world. When Anwar was speaking in India, he was talking on the subject, that the criminal laws in Malaysia related to sexual acts are obsolete and there is a need to change the obsolete laws. When he was in London, he talked on the subject that all religions are the same. The speeches of Anwar have prompted many angry reactions from the Muslims and Muslims scholars in Malaysia. When Anwar was in Jakarta, he supported the writing of Salman Rushdie on Satanic Verses book and according to Anwar, there should be freedom of speech as well as freedom in writing. He told the audience at the meeting that he personally loves all the books written by Salman Rushdie.
When Anwar talks about the plurality of religions, which means all religions, are the same, Anwar was actually talking something that is against the Quran. In the Quran Allah says, there is no religion except Islam, which means according to Allah, Islam is the only religion. When Anwar is in the opinion that all religions are the same, it means the opinion of Anwar is against the Quran. It does not need someone to disregard the whole Quran, before he becomes Kafir or Infidel. Every Muslim must believe that every single verse of the Quran is true and not to believe in only one verse of the Quran will make someone to become a Kafir. When Anwar supported the writing of the person who ridicules Quran by saying the Quran as satanic verses, it means Anwar himself does not believe that the Quran are the words of Allah. Both Anwar and Salman Rushdie have the freedom to express their views and opinions and to choose their own paths of life. If Anwar chooses the path, same as Salman Rushdie did then both Anwar and Salman Rushdie can never become a Muslim. Allah says in the Quran; do not help each other in matters of evils but help each other in matters of piety. Anwar Ibrahim chooses to help Salman Rushdie in matters of evils. Both Anwar and Salman are taking the path of Syaitan and Iblis. Anwar talks about the freedom of speech and writing including the freedom to ridicule Islam. Both Anwar and Salam Rushdie are free to ridicule Islam but both of them can never become a Muslims. Anwar can choose to talk on whatever topics he wants but he must be ready to bear the consequences of his talks. When Anwar chooses to talk against the Quran, then according to all Muslims scholars, Anwar is a Kafir.
Prof Dr Nasoha Saabin
April 2012
Integrative Holistic Wellness Centre