An Indonesian lesson for Malaysia

An Indonesian lesson for Malaysia

When Amien Rais was forced to resign as chairman of the
council of experts in the Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals (ICMI), Anwar Ibrahim, who at the time was
Malaysia's deputy prime minister, sent him a telephone message of
sympathy.

Therefore it is not just coincidence that since Anwar Ibrahim
was discharged by Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad after an
unsuccessful attempt to induce him to resign, the key word that
has emerged in the political drama that is now unfolding in
Malaysia is reform.

Like Amien Rais, Anwar Ibrahim has many supporters. The
difference is that Anwar Ibrahim's supporters are consolidated in
positions in Malaysia's main political organization, the UMNO.
They consist mostly of members of the organization's militant
youth wing and are well educated and fanatically loyal to Anwar.
The similarity between the groups of reform-minded Moslem
activists in Malaysia and Indonesia is that both regard their
leaders as symbols and rallying points for their struggles.

What can we learn from the current crisis in Malaysia?

Why has Mahathir -- who in the early days of his political
career championed the weak and fought against the vested
interests of the older generation politicians of the time -- in
his later years turned into a conservative leader engrossed in
protecting his interests and his power?

The examples provided by Indonesia's contemporary history may
serve as a valuable lesson to Malaysian patriots. Don't let an
ordinary mortal, however great his or her capabilities, stay in
power for too long.

-- Republika, Jakarta