Dear Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,
I HAVE been meaning to write this letter for some time but found it challenging to gather my thoughts.
Another reason for the delay was my intent to allow you some time in office before forming any judgment about your leadership.
You are undoubtedly aware of my support for you during the political turbulence following the Pakatan Harapan (PH) victory in 2018 when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad returned as PM.
Like many Malaysians, I truly believed Dr Mahathir would hand over the premiership to you after two years in office as was initially agreed.
However, it became evident that he had no intention of relinquishing the post – not to you or anyone else.
Instead, Dr Mahathir attempted a bizarre and impractical political arrangement to continue his leadership – an effort that found no takers. I was among those who openly criticised him for breaking his promise to you.
You are well aware of my vocal support for you during that time even when many, including DAP leaders, harboured doubts about your ability to lead.
Lost promise of reform
Some within your own coalition schemed to bypass you, yet today, they stand as flagbearers of your Madani government – a testament to the transformative power of political expediency.
When you finally assumed office in 2022 under a unity government, many Malaysians celebrated.
Your victory was seen not as personal but as a collective hope that you were the leader best equipped to carry out the much-needed reforms our country desperately required. It was your promise of reform that propelled you to power.
However, two years into your administration, many – including myself – find ourselves deeply disappointed.
Reforms were the cornerstone of your appeal, yet little has been achieved on this front. While you might argue that reforms take time, it is disheartening to see that the groundwork has not even begun.
Instead, your government appears to have prioritised political expediency over transformative change.
Reluctance to prosecute allies
Your administration seems increasingly focused on consolidating power by engaging in the politics of race and religion – an all-too-familiar strategy in Malaysia’s political playbook.
While you may be more subtle than Dr Mahathir in employing such tactics, the outcome is no less divisive. This is not the reform-driven leadership Malaysians hoped for.
Your government’s handling of corruption cases raises serious concerns. Prominent leaders in your coalition appear to enjoy immunity from prosecution, especially those aligned with UMNO.
If justice is selectively applied to ensure political stability, how can your administration claim moral authority?
Yes, the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) government under Dr Mahathir might have rushed prosecutions but your weekly meetings with him then did not address these concerns.
Now, under your leadership, the reluctance to prosecute allies sends a worrying message: political survival trumps accountability.
Racial, social inequalities persist
Race relations in Malaysia have not improved under your leadership. Despite championing diversity in international forums, your domestic policies often reinforce racial divides.
For instance, you defended the racially skewed matriculation programme under the pretext of the social contract – a position that perpetuates systemic inequality.
Your government’s treatment of the Indian community is particularly disheartening. You failed to appoint an Indian minister to the Cabinet, breaking a precedent upheld by previous administrations.
While billions are allocated to Bumiputera initiatives, the Indian community receives mere financial crumbs.
Yet, sycophants within your coalition heap praise upon you, applauding you as the “Gandhi-Mandela” of Malaysia – a hyperbolic title you have not publicly rejected.
A final plea
Prime Minister, I write this letter not out of malice but as a reflection of my profound disappointment.
Many Malaysians, including myself, placed immense hope in your leadership, believing that you represented a new era of governance.
However, the promise of reform now feels like a distant memory. Instead of being a beacon of change, your administration seems to mirror the failures of the past.
The politics of race and religion, the selective application of justice, and the neglect of marginalised communities all point to a government more concerned with self-preservation than progress.
It is not too late to chart a new course. Malaysians are still yearning for the leader they believed you could be. But to fulfill that vision, you must prioritise the reforms you promised over the expediencies of power.
Reforms and Anwar Ibrahim are no more synonymous! – Jan 2, 2025
Yours sincerely,
P. Ramasamy
Chairman
Urimai Interim Council
Jan 2, 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
