Latest news with #Reformasi
New Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Anwar: Critics of judiciary ignore lessons from Reformasi era
SHAH ALAM: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has criticised those who he said appear ignorant of the nation's political history when commenting on the judiciary. Anwar, who is also PKR president, said those who lived through the Reformasi era understand that the judiciary must remain the country's main pillar and be free from political interference. He cited the works of renowned cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Haque, better known as Zunar, whose illustrations chronicled the public outrage during that period over corruption, abuse of power and manipulated court decisions. "Sometimes when people talk about the judiciary, I feel some of them act as if they know nothing at all about history — people who were once complicit in all the oppression and injustice of the past, now wanting to speak about freedom. "On the other hand, for us who lived through it, we believe and we are convinced that the key lesson is that the judiciary, which is the main pillar of the country, should be without political interference, because our experience has shown that we must be more mature as such interference leads to the abuse of the innocent. "The same applies to economic management, such as the Scorpene and 1MDB scandal that was illustrated in in the cartoon," he said during the launch of the book "Melukis dengan Hati: Biografi Perjalanan Seni 50 Tahun" by Zunar here today. Anwar said Zunar's work is important not only in terms of uncovering historical chapters, but also serves as a lesson on what Malaysia must learn from and what is to be avoided. "To save the country, there must be a clear separation of powers and shared responsibility. "If we assume that the judiciary is a noble institution, history has shown that it has, at times, been tainted by corruption and abuse of power. "Likewise, the position of the prime minister or finance minister, even if entrusted to someone believed to carry out their duties well, has, in reality, been misused to amass excessive wealth. "And all of this is captured in Zunar's work," he said.
Focus Malaysia
2 days ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Madani gov't trolled for using KSN to ban civil servants from joining 'Turun Anwar' rally
DETRACTORS have questioned the rationale behind the call for civil servants to stay away from this Saturday's (July 26) PAS-inspired 'Turun Anwar' rally. This is because civil servants must adhere to the pledge enshrined in the Rukun Negara, particularly by upholding the principle of loyalty to king and country, according to Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. 'They cannot attend. Civil servants recite the pledge every day, every week,' justified Shamsul who succeeded Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali on Aug 10 last year. 'Have they forgotten? Be loyal to the king and country,' he said after launching the Association of Former Students of Mara Junior Science Colleges (ANSARA) Sports Carnival 2025 in Putrajaya yesterday (July 20). While Shamsul did not specify if the nature of disciplinary action to be taken on errant civil servants, a majority of commenters to the NST Online Facebook post of Shamsul's message felt that it is unbecoming of the Madani government to even use the KSN as its protective shield. After all, they recounted that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had in fact instigated civil servants to take to the streets to protest against injustice inflicted on him, notably his sacking as deputy PM following which the Reformasi movement was born. After all. Saturday is an off day to most civil servants, henceforth it is their right to decide what they wish to do during their spare time so long as their action does not disrupt their workflow. Therefore, Shamsul's directive is deemed as both 'army twisting method and double standard'. As a learned commenter put it, the KSU cannot deny the basic rights and freedom of all citizens as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, namely the right to free speech and the right to assemble and association. '(The) KSU is clearly fear mongering and threatening civil servants,' he attested. As a commenter aptly pointed out, the Madani government has nothing to fear if it is doing a good job 'unless this Madani (government) is so unstable that it feared that the opposition might influence their (civil servants) support towards this government'. Another contended that 'a democracy would not order such a thing but civil servants can be reminded that action can be taken against them if their behaviour during such a rally led to arrest and/or detention'. In fact, a commenter opined that civil servants are duty-bound 'to speak out if the government is harming the country'. The bottom-line as one commenter noted, 'public sector workers will STILL go to work tomorrow if the government falls or a new government comes in'. As 'they work for the country, the King and not a POLITICAL PARTY', he urged PMX 'not to be arrogant but to understand hardship of sorts the rakyst are experiencing from Perlis to Sabah'. – July 21, 2025 Editor's Note: A recent Utusan Malaysia report citing Perikatan Nasional (PN) Youth Chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden has estimated a turnout of 300,000 (up from 50,000) at the 'Turun Anwar' rally slated to be held at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur this Saturday (July 26). This is in stark contrast to Kuala Lumpur Acting Police Chief Datuk Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad who previously expected 10,000 to 15,000 people to attend. He nevertheless confirmed that the organisers have informed the Dang Wangi district police headquarters about the rally following which some 2,000 officers and personnel will be deployed to ensure the rally runs smoothly and to safeguard the participants and the public. Main image credit: Utusan Malaysia
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘Not their home any more': Rafizi warns PKR risks Umno-style exodus over grassroots anger after party polls
KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has reportedly cautioned that rising dissatisfaction among grassroots party members could lead to an exodus that similarly plagued Umno during the 1998 Reformasi movement. Malaysiakini cited him from his podcast Yang Berhenti Menteri suggesting that the discontent stems from the recent PKR party elections, where members questioned the transparency of the process. 'In the madness of grabbing power or positions, don't let it come to making people feel like this is not [their] home any more,' he reportedly said, adding that this will be dangerous to the party. 'When they've moved on, it's not easy to ask them to come back,' he added. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, then Umno deputy president and deputy prime minister was sacked in 1998 by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad — leading to the Reformasi movement and formation of PKR. Meanwhile, Rafizi was recently defeated in the PKR number two post by Anwar's daughter Nurul Izzah. He and fellow loser Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad both quit their Cabinet posts, citing the party's loss of trust in them. Since then, he has since one of the biggest critics of Anwar's administration, from issues ranging from the 13th Malaysia Plan to judicial independence. Yesterday, Rafizi led nine PKR MPs to remind the government that the need to strengthen the judicial appointment process continues, despite the finalised top judicial appointments. Rafizi had similar stepped down from politics in 2018 after he was defeated by Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali to be Anwar's deputy in PKR — before returning to the post and active politics in 2022.
Malaysiakini
6 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Rafizi vs Anwar: A brewing storm in PKR?
COMMENT | By all appearances, the People's Justice Party (PKR) is united under the banner of reform, democratic governance, and social justice. However, beneath the surface, a growing ideological and political divergence is threatening to fracture the party's top leadership. At the heart of this rift is the quiet but intensifying cold war between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his one-time protégé and former PKR deputy president, Rafizi Ramli. To many political observers, this cold war bears an uncanny resemblance to the historical fallout between Anwar and his former political mentor, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in 1998. Then, Anwar was the rising reformist star within Umno, riding high on a wave of public support and international admiration. His bold, progressive ideas and calls for economic transparency clashed with Mahathir's entrenched autocratic style. The conflict culminated in Anwar's dramatic ouster, galvanising the Reformasi movement and...
Focus Malaysia
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Ramasamy peeps into his crystal ball to ascertain if Madani unity gov't can last one full term
THERE are growing concerns over whether the Madani government – an uneasy alliance between Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN) and East Malaysian political coalitions – can sustain itself through a full electoral term, let alone beyond. Headed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the government is increasingly seen as struggling to live up to its reformist promises. The idea of it extending its tenure beyond this term appears increasingly remote. What are the reasons behind this deepening unpopularity? Firstly, despite grand pronouncements, Anwar's administration has largely failed to initiate the institutional and structural reforms once promised. Piecemeal or cosmetic changes are no substitute for the substantive transformation the public expected. Reform has become a diluted term, often used to mask inaction or minimal effort. Secondly, the 'Reformasi' movement – once a rallying cry for justice and transparency – appears to have been co-opted for electoral gains. Now in power, PH's commitment to reform seems more rhetorical than real. The moral fire that once defined the movement has dimmed, only to b replaced by political expediency. Madani set-up in shambles Thirdly, Anwar's government was formed through a precarious coalition with BN and regional parties. However, he has failed to persuade key partners – particularly UMNO – of the urgency of national reforms. Leveraging the outdated BN framework, UMNO is focused more on reclaiming its past dominance than supporting structural change. Fourthly, the political coalitions from Sabah and Sarawak have their own definitions of reform, largely tied to state rights and autonomy rather than national transformation. Their goals rarely align with those of PH, hence making cohesive reform efforts nearly impossible. Fifthly, the absence of a shared understanding of what reforms are necessary is a fundamental problem. What PH envisions as reform is not necessarily what BN or East Malaysian parties deem important. This lack of consensus has led to policy paralysis. Sixthly, Anwar should have anticipated that leading such a diverse and often contradictory coalition would complicate any reform agenda. The reality of governing such a disparate group has proven far more difficult than the idealism projected while in opposition. Seventhly, Anwar as PM lacks the strategic clarity and political capital required to implement reforms. It was easier to advocate for change from the opposition benches than to navigate the constraints of governance. Even if sincere, he cannot galvanise his partners into action. Eighthly, UMNO despite holding fewer parliamentary seats wields disproportionate influence in the unity government. As the sole Malay party providing political legitimacy, it can dictate terms. This has effectively hamstrung reform, creating a situation of political inertia. Ninthly, the government's unpopularity is not just due to unmet reform promises. Ordinary Malaysians are struggling with rising costs, new taxes and stagnant wages. While Anwar boasts of billions in foreign direct investment (FDIs), the public sees little tangible benefit – prompting twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad referencing that as 'invisible' investments. Tenthly, there is a growing disconnect between Anwar's international image and his domestic actions. While presenting himself as a liberal to the West, his domestic politics are often framed through ethnic and religious lenses. For Chinese and Indian communities, his concern appears limited to securing their votes rather than addressing their concerns. In essence, the Madani government – once held up as a symbol of reform and unity – is faltering under the weight of its own contradictions. Unless it re-discovers its reformist soul and forges a real consensus among coalition partners, its chances of surviving the full term – let alone securing a future mandate – remain bleak. – July 7, 2025 Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image credit: Anwar Ibrahim/Facebook
