Anwar Ibrahim Q&A: Malaysian democracy icon on prison, dissent and the cautious approach to race

According to a power-sharing arrangement made before the Pakatan Harapan coalition pulled off its stunning victory in the May 9 elections when it ousted the ruling Umno party that had been in power for more than six decades, Anwar will take over from Mahathir Mohamad in two years.

In the interlude, he will spend time with family and go on the lecture circuit. Next week, he will travel to London and then Turkey to give lectures and a visit to Stanford University in the fall is on the cards.

Anwar was a firebrand student leader who led attacks against Umno in his youth but later joined the Malay-based party and rose quickly to become a top leader. He was the deputy prime minister to Mahathir when he was summarily sacked at the height of the Asian financial crisis in 1998. He went on to launch a Reformasi movement for change, fighting against Mahathir.

Fast forward to the recent election and it was an alliance between Mahathir and Anwar that formed the centrepiece of the opposition coalition. It is a partnership people are still trying to grasp the significance of, not least, Anwar himself. He says, "Until now, I'm thinking it, are you sure I did it?"

In his younger days, his fiery oratory could mesmerise thousands. Anwar at 70 is gentle, exuding effortless charm. The force of his conviction remains unmistakable and it is understandable why, even when he was in prison and absent from the political stage, he remained the opposition's talisman.

In this interview with Zuraidah Ibrahim and Bhavan Jaipragas , he talks about foreign policy, the hours spent in prison, the need to accommodate dissenting voices in the coalition for the sake of unity, and why moving with caution on dismantling race-based policies is the wiser option. An edited transcript:

Anwar Ibrahim celebrates his release from prison. Photo: AFP

A: I am privileged because the last week or so, many foreign friends and governments have been in touch. So naturally, you have to follow through, look at the notes, initial reports. I spent a day in Jakarta, meeting leaders and friends. I met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and yesterday Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. And of course at times, I accompanied the deputy PM, [Wan Azizah Wan Ismail].

In government, they are working on some of the old projects, like in the case of Singapore and even China, which means they are back in the forefront. They need to forge better communications and relations with these countries, in the interest of cross-border investments and development programmes that would hopefully trickle down and assist people, particularly the poor and the marginalised. Another pressing issue, of course, if you look at my position, [is whether I can] help in containing extremism and terrorism. So I say I am not an expert in this field. But I believe that any religious understanding should not be used as a pretext or weapon to embark on aggressive, fanatical viewpoints. So I think they want me to play a small role in this part, in articulating issues, particularly how Islam can be practised in a moderate manner, in a democratic environment and not to condone any form of oppression or to condone extremism either as purveyors or perpetrators of terrorism.

Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim with his family after his release from jail. Photo: Reuters

Essentially, whatever politics or geopolitics, the issue is the welfare of the common people. Contending ideological forces often times ignore the plight of the majority. Poverty remains a problem although not as pressing as a decade before. Inequality is now becoming a major plight; health issues, transmigration, environment ... so I see the pressing issue as one of security, a lot of concerns about terrorism, about backtracking on the move towards democracy, particularly in the Muslim world. So I believe the Malaysian experiment should be appealing to those Muslim masses and countries that would like to experience a democratic experiment.

Anwar Ibrahim addresses supporters in Petaling Jaya. Photo: KRA Group

Malaysia's new cabinet: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu. Photo: EPA

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Photo: Xinhua

This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Copyright (c) 2018. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.