Living with the Anwar syndrome

Murray Hunter


Living with the Anwar syndrome

Jun 09, 2025





Those who supported the idea of a “new Malaysia” supported the “reformasi” movement which Anwar Ibrahim became the figure head. The hopes and aspirations by many for “a better Malaysia” became focused upon the career of one man and his destiny to one day he became the prime minister of the nation.

Encapsulated inside the “Anwar myth” was a “Malaysian Malaysia” and people-centric government that would right all the wrongs of the past. It was like people were awaiting a new “Merdeka” with Anwar.

When Anwar finally became prime minister in November 2022, many thought the day had come for this “new Malaysia”. However, there were very early signs that things would not go as hoped.

For some, who still cling onto the hope that Anwar would bring to Malaysia what they had expected a deep cognitive dissonance has set in. Disappointment, a feeling of hopelessness, merging on an anger are suppressed, where the anger of Anwar’s failings is projected upon those who point this out.

Lost expectations

There were hopes that the racial “apartheid” that had long existed in Malaysia would be dismantled. People were waiting for glimpses, but no signs came. To the contrary, the indications were that under Anwar “positive discrimination” towards Malays would not just continue but be strengthened.

There were not easing of civil service quotas, education quotas remain, and even race based discounts within the commercial world have remained on real estate.

There has been no legal reform. All the laws that Anwar fought against still remain, where sedition, and defamation laws have not been touched. In fact, with the resurrection of the 3Rs (taboos on discussion about racial, religion and royalty in place), Malaysians’ freedom of speech has been severely curtailed.

Rather than fight corruption, those who expose it are dealt with harshly. Some whistleblowers have been charged in sting operations, not against the corrupt, but on the whistleblowers. There are still disappearances of people, just like the modus operandi of Pastor Koh. Pamela Ling disappeared without a trace on her way to the MACC.

The MCMC has blocked a number of websites including Wee Choo Keong, the Corporate Secret and my own, not for political purposes, but to stop the exposure of corruption. Both Fahmi Reza and Dr P Ramasamy, known for their criticisms of the government have been denied overseas travel.

The hospital system is still in a mess, there are still APs, monopolies, and oligopolies, and regulations favouring a small number of crony companies. SLAPP actions are used by GLCs to silence and bankrupt critics. There are still no answers about the mysterious death of Teoh Beng Hock inside the Selangor MACC building more than a decade ago.

The Communication Minister Fahmi Fadzil very early on in Anwar’s government said, criticise him and expect a “radio car” outside your house. You are under our surveillance.

Not only did the government under Anwar’s helm fail to deliver, his own party Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is self-destructing. Slowly, high profile members are outrightly stating their disapproval of the direction the party and government are going. On paper, Anwar has 31 MPs representing PKR in parliament. In heart, this number has now dwindled to a little more than a dozen. Some key people in his cabinet lost their seats in the last general election, and had to join the ministry through the backdoor.


The Anwar myth is gone

The man who talked about “Ketuanan Malaysia” has created a more racially divided nation. Anwar is not a “western” thinker, he is not an “Islamic” thinker. Anwar thinks more like an old Malay Machiavellian man, who doesn’t know whether he should be Hung Tuah or Hung Jebat. More likely he secretly envies his nemesis Mahathir. He would like to be such a leader.

Anwar has a character flaw that began during schooling and hasn’t gone as of today. This has split family and nation. Come later this month, his double life may catch up with him for a third time.

Anwar would have been better off being who he really is. There are others in politics similar to him but much more discreet and not predatory.

As a consequence, Anwar has been a shadow puppet, where the shadow has caught up with him. He may not be able to hide the truth any longer and make the claim that there were political conspiracies than caused him to be convicted in the past. Nobody wants to see this, but the flaw in his character made it inevitable.

The uncovering of the real person behind the puppet will not go well for those who believe in him. The tinsels around “reformasi” will be dead and buried and PKR may have much less reason to exist any longer, except as an idea. There cognitive dissonance may not stretch that far.

If the cover up is able to continue, the real puppet must remain hidden by some means. Once a ‘hantu raya’ becomes exposed, everyone will run.

This could force the generational change that is needed in Malaysian politics. Reformasi may have to be redefined in a neo-Malaya that coexists with Sabah and Sabah in Malaysia.

This time there will be no political manipulation in court. In this way, it’s a blessing the police didn’t take the complaint by Yusoff Rawther as a criminal case. The Rawther case will allow the court to show integrity, a very big hope for Malaysia.

June 16 will become an important date in Malaysian political history.