Who is behind the ‘Turun Anwar’ protests?

Murray Hunter


Who is behind the ‘Turun Anwar’ protests?

In the spirit of Steadyaku47
Jul 07, 2025





There are growing calls for prime minister Anwar Ibrahim to stand aside while accusations of sexual assault against Yusuff Rawther are heard in court.

Calls for Anwar to resign started growing when the former Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat retired, without a 6 months extension. The position of Chief Justice is currently vacant, adding to even more speculation as to why Anwar has mishandled the transition of chief justices. The introduction of new and increased sales and service taxes (SST) on July 1, has angered people across the country.

There is now an organized ‘Turun Anwar’ movement with the sole purpose of removing Anwar Ibrahim from the position of prime minister. The movement is not suggesting any other potential candidate, just the removal of Anwar, on the same principle of ‘Anyone but UMNO’ during Haris Ibrahim’s time.

The sudden rise of the ‘Turun Anwar’ movement has surprised PKR trolls and cybertroopers. Groups like MAPIM, formally restricted to religious and humanitarian activities, has become a cheap political troll in the defence of Anwar. MAPIM can never be considered apolitical ever again.

Rafizi Ramli, now a backbencher after resigning as minister in Anwar’s cabinet last month held a live press conference together with Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmand, MP for Setia Wangsa, Ong Chen, MP for Ampang, Zahir Hassan, MP for Wangsa Maju, Bakhtiar Wan Chik, MP for Balik Pulau, S Kesavan, MP for Sungei Siput, and Onn Abu Bakar, MP for Batu Pahat demanded the prime minister face the parliament to address issues related to judicial appointments, and set up a Royal Commission to make an inquiry into how judicial appointments are made. Some MPs from PAS have reportedly supported Rafizi’s move, as has PSM.

This is the beginning of backbencher activism within Anwar’s own party PKR, which indicates Anwar is losing control of his own MPs.

Who is behind the ‘Turun Anwar’ campaign

The ‘Turun Anwar’ campaign is very closely associated with former prime minister Tun Mahathir Mohamed, through Rafique Rashid Ali, the head of Pujuang. The campaign is supported by a number of activists including Che GuBard, who has been persecuted by the now ‘Gestapo like’ MCMC for his criticisms of Anwar.

Tun Mahathir was largely responsible for the relentless campaign against Abdullah Ahmad Badawi which brought him down as prime minister in 2009. Tun Mahathir then campaigned against Najib Razak and led Pakatan Harapan to victory in the 2018 general election, ousting Najib.

Tun became ‘caretaker’ prime minister and very quickly arranged a pardon for Anwar Ibrahim, who was in prison a second time for sodomy. Many people had been critical of Tun Mahathir’s reluctance to hand power over to Anwar. In the light of the Yusuff Rawther allegations, many supporters of Anwar are beginning to look at Anwar’s history very differently.

Anwar’s relentless persecution of Tun Mahathir’s children and an ailing Tun Daim by Anwar’s henchman Azam Baki at the MACC, led Tun Mahathir to rethink his previously non-committal approach to Anwar.

This time Tun Mahathir is not the mastermind in the driver’s seat of the ‘Turun Anwar’ movement. A large group of ‘Young Turks are taking the lead.

Young leaders are emerging Rafique Rashid.

The ‘Turun Anwar’ Objective

The objective of the ‘Turun Anwar’ movement is to show the present YDPA the peoples’ displeasure over Anwar and his poor performance as prime minister. Its rare for any votes of non-confidence against a prime minister. The parliamentary rules make any such move extremely difficult.

They key of the ‘Turun Anwar’ movement is to gain public momentum over a number of rallies this month.


Rafizi’s backbench movement

Hell hath no fury like a Rafizi scorned

Rafizi is now a man with a mission. Rafizi is calling on all MPs, whether PKR or not to take up issues of public interest and use the parliament to get answers and demand reforms. Rafizi’s press conference was a profound statement across party lines. Many are now saying, if Anwar’s own MPs don’t trust him, how can the public trust Anwar?

There are signs that Perikatan Nasional are supportive of Rafizi’s call. Rafizi may create a unity that hasn’t been seen before. However, rumors have it, there will be a massive smear campaign against Rafizi very soon.

When Anwar returns to Malaysia, he will find it is not the same country he left a few days earlier.