Dennis Ignatius
~ Provoking discussion, dissent & debate on politics, diplomacy, human rights & civil society.
Anwar’s Secret Deal with Zahid
17ThursdayOct 2024
[1] The claim by Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, the prime minister’s political secretary, that he was personally instructed by his boss not to challenge UMNO president Zahid Hamidi’s narrow win in Bagan Datuk has lifted the veil on the behind-the-scenes manoeuvring that unfolded on election night and the days after GE15.
[2] According to Shamsul, who lost to Zahid by a mere 348 votes, “something was not right “ with the vote counting process – Zahid was apparently still trailing at midnight, the counting was taking too long and there were a suspiciously high number of spoilt votes. He revealed that he was determined to challenge the results by demanding a recount when Anwar called and instructed him to desist as Zahid had agreed to support Anwar to become prime minister. Shamsul gave the impression that had he not been ordered to stand down, he might have won on a recount.[1]
[3] Zahid’s narrow victory in Bagan Datuk gave BN a total of 30 seats which, together with the 82 seats PH won, gave Anwar a simple majority of 112 seats on election night – enough for Anwar to lay claim to Putrajaya and later to persuade GPS to join the unity government.
[4] Shamsul’s startling revelation is troubling for several reasons. First, he seems to be suggesting that Zahid’s victory was somehow suspect and that if he had challenged the results he might have won. If he’s right, it would imply that the will of the voters in Bagan Datuk was thwarted for the sake of political expediency. Instead of the devoted party man he claims to be, Shamsul now stands exposed as someone who betrayed the many voters who trusted him with their vote.
[5] It also suggests that both Anwar and Zahid were already in close consultation about forming an alliance perhaps because they had both concluded that no single coalition would win GE15 outright. So while PH attacked BN publicly and UMNO vowed never to work with Anwar,[2] both leaders were in fact quietly scheming behind the scenes and deceiving their own supporters.
[6] Rumours that Anwar and Zahid were in close communication had in fact been circulating for some time before GE15. Dr Mahathir, for example, claimed that Anwar and Zahid had formed a secret alliance to form the government after the elections but this was denied by both men[3]. In April 2021, a leak phone recording between the two men gave further hints of the close ties between the two leaders.[4]
[7] In his recent book The Siege Within, Leslie Lopes asserts that Anwar was in fact open to collaborating with UMNO after the 2018 general election as he was sceptical of Dr Mahathir handing over power to him.[5] Both Mahathir and Anwar apparently fed on each other’s fears. Mahathir must have surely known what Anwar was up to and dug his heels in. It suggests that the infamous Sheraton Move was not the only plotting that went on to get rid of Mahathir.
[8] Zahid, for his part, had every reason to be fearful of losing GE15. He had pushed then prime minister Ismail Sabri into calling early elections in a desperate gamble to save himself from the serious criminal charges he was facing. Defeat might have meant years of expensive court battles, serious jail time and an end to his political career. Anwar was a possible saviour; someone who was so desperate to become prime minister that he would be willing to strike any bargain.
[9] Questions must now be asked whether Anwar’s instructions to Shamsul not to challenge Zahid’s narrow victory was part of a wider secret agreement between the two men. Was the subsequent DNAA given to Zahid and other UMNO stalwarts part of the deal? Did Anwar also agree to throw UMNO a lifeline in terms of key cabinet appointments from which to make a comeback? What is their end game?
[Dennis Ignatius |Kuala Lumpur |17 October 2024]
[1] Aide recounts Anwar’s late night phone call not to challenge Zahid’s razor-thin victory in Bagan Datuk |MalaysiaNow |14 Oct 2024
[2] Revealed: Explosive telephone conversation between Anwar and Zahid
[3] Mahathir claims Anwar, Zahid have secret pact to form govt after polls | Straits Times |07 Nov 2022
[4] Aide recounts Anwar’s late night phone call not to challenge Zahid’s razor-thin victory in Bagan Datuk | MalaysiaNow |14 Oct 2024
[5] When Anwar looked to Umno instead of Mahathir after 2018 elections | FMT |07 Oct 2024
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