Anwar's tough policy calls reflect leadership, says BBC journalist
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's push to rationalise fuel subsidies and his stance on foreign policy reflect the kind of leadership needed to navigate a complex and divided world, says BBC journalist Jonny Dymond.
Speaking ahead of the BBC World Questions debate in Kuala Lumpur, Dymond said rolling back subsidies is a politically difficult task that many leaders tend to avoid due to pressure from powerful interest groups.
"To get it done is a sign of leadership in my book," he told the New Straits Times in an exclusive interview.
"It's not that I'm approving or disapproving, but I can just see it (that) as a governmental task, it's quite hard."
He said that while subsidies are often seen as a way to help the poor, economists argue they disproportionately benefit higher-income groups.
"It's very tough to withdraw them because there are always very powerful constituencies that want them cared for, good or bad," he said.
"And to get it through, you have to say that it's a function of leadership."
He added that previous administrations had sidestepped the issue, while Anwar had taken the unpopular but necessary step.
Dymond also touched on Anwar's firm stance on the Gaza conflict, saying it reflected strong public sentiment in Malaysia.
"Malaysia's leadership has made its position very clear on Israel and the Palestinians, and seems to speak for many Malaysians in their unhappiness at what Israel is doing in Gaza," he said.
He added that criticism of Western double standards in media coverage — particularly comparing Ukraine to Gaza — was a complex issue and would need to be addressed case by case.
The BBC World Service is in Malaysia for its World Questions debate series, which invites members of the public to pose questions directly to politicians and public figures on current political, economic, and social issues.
Tonight's debate, which will be broadcast at a later date, will focus on the government's fuel subsidy rationalisation, corruption cases, freedom of speech, and institutional reform.
It will also examine Malaysia's foreign policy, particularly in balancing trade ties with the United States and China.
Among the panellists are Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Deputy Minister Datuk Fuziah Salleh and Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
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