Mahathir's choice<\/p>\n
Ousted Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim gained
\nstrong support from scores of human rights and political
\nactivists on Friday, a few hours after he was dismissed from his
\npost as vice president of the ruling United Malays National
\nOrganization UMNO. On Wednesday, the popular Anwar was fired by
\nPrime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from his dual positions as deputy
\npremier and finance minister.<\/p>\n
Countries in the region, particularly members of the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations, were obviously surprised
\nby Mahathir's decision to dismiss his No. 2, especially given
\nthat Anwar had been considered his heir apparent.<\/p>\n
The dismissal, quoting the spokesman of Malaysia's SUARAM
\nhuman rights group, "illustrates the arrogance of the prime
\nminister who has completely disregarded fairness, due process and
\npolitical accountability to the public." Refusing to give a
\nreason for Anwar's dismissal, Mahathir said: "I do not need to
\nexplain why we make such decisions. We find him not suitable,
\nthat's all." Mahathir's comment sounded preposterous as it was he
\nhimself who had promoted Anwar to the senior position.<\/p>\n
Rifts between Mahathir and Anwar, which had been covered up
\nand denied by the two until Wednesday, began to mount when
\nMalaysia was blighted by economic woes last year and climaxed
\nwith Anwar's expulsion from the government and UMNO. While
\nMahathir prefers his own way to fix the country's economic
\nproblems without bowing to the International Monetary Fund (IMF),
\nAnwar is more ready to accept the IMF's offer of a bailout
\npackage as one way to cure Malaysia's economic ills.<\/p>\n
Analysts believe that Mahathir, who at 17 years in power is
\nAsia's longest serving leader, has been unable to accommodate the
\naspirations of Malaysia's younger generation of politicians who
\nseek changes and greater freedom of expression. At least two
\nnewspaper editors have resigned in the last couple of months for
\ndisagreeing with Mahathir's overstringent control of the press,
\nespecially when dealing with reports of unfair business dealings
\ninvolving the premier's cronies.<\/p>\n
Last week's resignation of the central bank governor and
\nMahathir's remark that he had no plan to appoint a replacement
\nfor the deposed Anwar evidently shows that the prime minister
\nwants to keep a firm control over the country's monetary policy.
\nAnd history has taught us that when leaders rule a country for
\ntoo long unopposed, they tend to become overconfident with their
\npolicies and decisions, resulting all too often in nothing less
\nthan authoritarianism. If this happens, it is the people who will
\nsuffer the most and not the political elite.<\/p>\n
In the case of Malaysia, one analyst here said that if
\nMahathir used his power to arrest Anwar on allegations of
\n"sexual misconduct and leaking state secrets" -- charges Anwar
\nhas denied -- by using the Internal Security Act, the prime
\nminister "will be digging his own grave" and thereby creating
\npolitical instability in this peninsular country.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mahathirs-choice-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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