Anwar Ibrahim's Future
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
POLITICS & ECONOMY BUSINESS Inside South Korea’s After years of delays, Cambodia chilly economy page 30 could soon be ready to pump oil page 16 asia.nikkei.com Nov. 11-17, 2019 U.S.: US$6 / Japan: ¥545 (excluding tax) / Euro: EUR6 / U.K.: £4 / Australia: A$8 / Bangladesh: TK480 / Brunei: B$9 / Cambodia: US$6 / Canada: C$9 / China: RMB50 / Hong Kong: HK$50 / India: Rs200 / Indonesia: Rp72000 / Korea: W7500 / Macau: HK$50 / Malaysia: RM20 / Mongolia: US$6 / Myanmar: US$6 / Nepal: NR470 / New Zealand: NZ$9 / Pakistan: Rs600 / Philippines: P280 / Singapore: S$9 / Sri Lanka: Rs800 / Switzerland: CHF10 / Taiwan: NT$200 / Thailand: B210 / Turkey: TL16 / UAE: AED27 / Vietnam: US$6 ISSN: 2188-1413 ON THE COVER Getty Images JAMES CRABTREE Contributing writer THE LONG ROAD BACK Anwar Ibrahim is within touching distance of Malaysia’s premiership, the culmination of a decadeslong journey that took him from rising political star to a prison cell. But with the country’s politics as febrile as ever, will he truly be able to deliver on his radical promises? The construction site of the Tun Razak Exchange in Kuala Lumpur, among the projects of the scandal-plagued state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad. 8 9 ON THE COVER KUALA LUMPUR For a soft-spoken politician, Anwar Ibrahim also a topic on which Anwar has grown adept at defl ecting Supporters of Mahathir Mohamad await his swearing-in as prime angers quickly when talking about corruption. questions. Instead, he wants to talk about his reform ambitions. minister, following the opposition’s shock election victory in May 2018. “We have tried, for the last half-century, a pro-Bumiputra pol- During decades in opposition, he often pledged radical changes icy that benefi ted cronies and elites,” he says, referring to the to clean up politics and heal racial disharmony. Now, as prime for six years, often in solitary confi nement, on what many viewed entrenched, race-based affi rmative action system that favors his minister-in-waiting, he may soon be in a position to do some- as trumped-up sodomy charges. country’s majority ethnic Malays. “Look at the fi gures. Poverty thing about it. Over the decades since, he has climbed back to prominence, has increased! Inequality has increased!” he goes on, his voice ris- Yet his is far from the only vision for Malaysia. Just a few days bit by bit. His admirers still see an unusual talent, combining ing as he counts the points off on his fi ngers. “It becomes like a Getty Images mesmerizing oratory and rare intellect with the potential to turn clientelist system. And that needs to be rejected!” Malaysia into a genuinely prosperous, multiethnic Islamic democ- The Nikkei Asian Review met Anwar, 72, in Kuala Lumpur His admirers still see an unusual talent, racy. Last year’s election marked one political watershed with the during October to discuss Malaysia’s future, more than a year combining mesmerizing oratory and Berhad over which he presided, by many measures the largest defeat of the United Malays National Organization, the party that after his opposition Pakatan Harapan -- “Alliance of Hope” -- co- rare intellect with the potential to turn fraud in Asian corporate history. had dominated the country’s political system since independence. alition triumphed unexpectedly in national elections. It was a vic- Malaysia into a genuinely prosperous, “They say, ‘Oh, the Malays are suffering! We need to do more!’” Anwar’s appointment as leader would mark a second signifi cant tory he celebrated from inside a prison hospital, however, having shift. While he himself is Malay, he heads the multiethnic Parti multiethnic Islamic democracy Anwar says, his eyes fl ashing. “But none of them articulate the been imprisoned two years earlier on what many legal observers problems of poor governance and corruption and the squander- Keadilan Rakyat, meaning that as Malaysia’s eighth prime minis- view as politically motivated charges of sodomy. ing of billions by the Malay elite!” Then he pauses and smiles, as ter he would also be its fi rst not to lead an ethnic pro-Malay party. While awaiting release, Anwar could only watch as his long- if checking himself. “You are provoking me. I’m getting angry.” Yet, for all his talents, he remains a divisive and mercurial fi g- time rival-turned-ally Mahathir Mohamad took power as prime before our interview the Malay Dignity Congress, an infl uential Anwar has good cause for anger, having spent more than a de- ure, and one whose policy plans remain hard to pin down. Much minister. Now, he is waiting once again, this time for the ful- ethnic nationalist group, held a large rally in the capital, rejecting cade incarcerated at the hands of political opponents. His initial ink is spilled over the timing of his succession, but rather less on fi llment of an opaque pact with Mahathir, in which the veteran just the kind of plural democracy Anwar supports. He dismisses spell came during Mahathir’s long fi rst period as prime minister, what he might do in a job for which he has spent half a lifetime prime minister is supposed to hand over power -- reportedly, the movement’s “Malaysia for the Malays” rhetoric, as well as which ran from 1981 to 2003. A fi ercely ambitious leader, Anwar preparing. His constraints are clear. Malaysia’s politics are frac- within two years. its unwillingness to grapple with the ethical failures of previous served as fi nance minister while positioning himself as heir ap- tious. Its economy is struggling. Polls tend to show him to be less The vague details of that agreement -- when exactly will it Prime Minister Najib Razak -- and, in particular, the megascandal parent, until the two men fell out spectacularly around the time popular than the more avuncular Mahathir, too, posing questions happen? on what terms? -- are staple gossip in Malaysia, and involving state-owned investment fund 1Malaysia Development of the Asian fi nancial crisis in 1998. The result left Anwar in prison about his odds of winning reelection. Given all this, what hopes Path to a power handover 1998 The 1999 The PKN joins 2003 The PKN merges 2004 BN, now led 2008 BN calls elections for March, before 2013 Anwar leads the 2016 Malaysia’s 2018 The opposition reformist Parti other opposition groups with the Parti Rakyat by Abdullah Ahmad Anwar’s ban from politics expires. Wan runs PKR and the opposition attorney general coalition, now headed by Barisan Nasional (BN) Opposition Others Keadilan Nasional to contest a general Malaysia to form the Badawi, wins back in his place at the head of the opposition coalition in the general says no evidence Mahathir Mohamad, Opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (1982, 1986), People’s POLITICS (PKN) is formed, election, which BN wins, Parti Keadilan Rakyat many seats in a coalition, which now includes most of the election. The of wrongdoing in storms to a shock victory, Concept (1990, 1995), Alternative Front (1999, 2004), People’s Pact with Anwar a but with a significantly (PKR), headed by Wan general election major opposition parties. opposition wins the 1MDB case; U.S. unseating BN for the first (2008, 2013), Alliance of Hope (2018) Source: Nikkei Asian Review research, Election Commission of Malaysia leading member reduced share of the Azizah, Anwar’s wife For the first time since 1969, popular vote, but not Department of time since Malaysia’s popular vote BN loses the two-thirds 2009 Abdullah enough seats to unseat Justice opens a independence in 1957 “supermajority” that allows steps down and the BN government separate case Popular vote 2018 Najib is arrested it to amend the constitution is replaced as (in percent) prime minister on suspicion of by Najib Razak corruption over the 19.6 Parliament seats 21.1 19.9 15.3 24.0 2007 Huge 40.2 1MDB scandal (in percent) “Bersih” 47.4 2009 Najib’s 50.9 2015 The Wall 45.7 pro-democracy government Street Journal rallies are held 1MDB establishes 1Malaysia first breaks news in Kuala Lumpur, Development Berhad, of widespread 57.2 53.4 65.2 56.5 63.9 51.4 47.4 60.5 calling for clean a state-backed corruption at 33.8 85.7 5.8 elections investment fund 1MDB 35.6 50.9 1981 ’82 ’86 ’90 ’95 ’99 2000 ’04 ’08 ’13 ’18 Minister for Agriculture Minister of Finance ANWAR 2004-05 Sodomy 2006 Anwar 2008 Fresh allegations of 2012 Anwar 2015 Federal 2018 Anwar is released TIMELINE conviction is partially announces sodomy are laid by an aide. is acquitted Court upholds from prison and granted Minister for Youth, Minister of Education Deputy Prime Minister overturned. Anwar is his intention In August, after his ban of sodomy; the appeal court a royal pardon, allowing Sports and Culture released from prison, to contest expires, Anwar wins a the decision; Anwar him to return to front-line 1997 Oversees though his corruption the 2008 by-election and is finally prosecution is jailed politics. He returns to Malaysia’s 1998 Fired from government conviction is upheld by elections returned to parliament lodges an parliament via a 1982 Joins United Malays response to and arrested under the Internal 1999-2000 After two trials widely condemned the Federal Court, barring appeal 2014 The Court of Appeal by-election National Organization, then the Asian Security Act. Anwar is beaten by human rights groups, Anwar is convicted him from reentering overturns Anwar’s acquittal, the largest party in Malaysia’s financial crisis by the then-chief of police, of corruption and sodomy, for which he is handed politics for five years.