The Unrealized Mahathir-Anwar Transitions: Social Divides and Political Consequences

Summary

“The first three prime ministers belonged to the bangsawan (aristocracy). The fourth, Mahathir, began as a commoner but ended as a bangsawan.”

(A. Samad Said)

“We have an agenda. You must stick to the agenda. It is a reform agenda. We don't want just to replace the prime minister. We want to replace the damned system.”

(Nurul Izzah Anwar)

One of the more baffling puzzles of Malaysian politics is the convoluted political relationship of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, twice Prime Minister of Malaysia (1981–2003 and 2018–20), and Anwar Ibrahim, once Deputy Prime Minister (1993–98), which thrived for many years but suddenly collapsed, and, after many more years, almost unbelievably revived, but just as incredulously crashed again.

Mahathir and Anwar's political relationship formally began in March 1982. In July 1981, Mahathir became President of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and Prime Minister. Six months later, Anwar left Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM, or Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement), which he had led for eight years, to join UMNO. Thereafter, Anwar's political career blossomed. By 1993 he was UMNO Deputy President and Deputy Prime Minister. But just when he appeared to be UMNO's “anointed successor” to the prime minister, Anwar was sacked by Mahathir on 2 September 1998, expelled from UMNO the next day, arrested on 20 September, prosecuted on charges of corruption and sodomy, convicted and handed prison sentences of six years for the first charge and nine for the second. This shocking end to the Mahathir- Anwar relationship sparked a dissident movement, Reformasi, and inspired the opposition to battle the regime past Mahathir's retirement in November 2003.

The two men had an unexpected reconciliation in September 2016. Anwar was then in prison again although he was earlier freed in September 2004. The reconciliation brought Mahathir's new party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu, or United Pribumi Party of Malaysia) into the Anwar-led opposition coalition, Pakatan Harapan (Harapan, or Pact of Hope) to fight the regime of Najib Razak who was embroiled in the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal. There was a Harapan agreement that if Harapan won the impending general election, Mahathir would lead its government for about half of its five-year termbefore handing the premiership to Anwar. At the 14th General Election (GE14) of May 2018, Harapan won and Mahathir became the “7th Prime Minister”.