Anwar best hope for Malaysia, but Malay support still elusive, says analyst

KUCHING (Sept 6): The best hope for the people to bring them into the middle path of Malaysian national politics is current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, according to a political analyst.

However, Anwar is seen trying his best to win the Malay votes in general, said Prof James Chin of Australia’s University of Tasmania.

“Anwar is the best hope the people have in bringing them to the middle path, but so far, he has not shown any ability to win back the Malay ground.

“Based on the Malay voting patterns in 2022 and 2023, you can see very clearly that the Malay votes are still with (opposition) Perikatan Nasional (PN), mostly with PAS,” he told The Borneo Post.

Chin was reacting to former federal Law Minister Datuk Mohamad Zaid Ibrahim’s suggestion that Sarawak’s brand of politics was the best hope to reverse the nation’s decline.

Adding on, Chin said the political change as suggested by Zaid would never happen in Malaysia for several reasons.

“The top reason is that GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) leaders have no intention of going outside of Sarawak, and so, they are not interested in national leadership. They are only interested in playing kingmaker and influencing the national leadership.

“The second key reason is, of course, the Malay leadership in Peninsular Malaysia will never accept any leader from Sabah and Sarawak, as they regard them as not the real Malays.

“And they (Peninsular Malay leaders) also do not like the multiracial thing in Sabah and Sarawak… They would not accept anybody from Sabah and Sarawak,” he claimed.

Chin cautioned people, especially those from East Malaysia, not to read too much into what Zaid had suggested.

“He has been blogging on every sort of issue and very often, he contradicts himself. But it is good that he, as a Malay intellectual, recognises that Sabah and Sarawak are the real Malaysians after 60 years,” said Chin, adding that he believed politics in Malaysia would only get worse especially with PAS getting stronger.

In contrast, another political analyst, Assoc Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi, believes Sarawak does have the potential to play a pivotal role in Malaysia’s future.

The professor of Malay Studies from Universiti Malaya said Sarawak should carefully evaluate which peninsula alliance or coalition aligns with its vision for Malaysia’s future.

This decision should be based not on immediate political gain but on long-term national interest, he stressed.

Furthermore, he said Sarawak’s leadership needs to push for policies that focus on economic development, good governance and social cohesion, adding this means advocating for a merit-based system, decentralisation of power, and greater autonomy for states.

“Cultivating a new generation of leaders in Sarawak who can articulate and implement this vision is crucial. These leaders must be able to build bridges between different communities and regions, fostering national unity.”

In addition, Awang Azman said Sarawak’s leaders must effectively communicate their vision to the broader Malaysian public, which involves not just political rhetoric but concrete policy proposals and examples of successful governance from Sarawak that can be scaled nationally.

“In summary, Sarawak does have the potential to play a pivotal role in Malaysia’s future. However, this requires strategic, forward-thinking leadership and a commitment to the broader national good, beyond regional and ethnic considerations.”