OPINION | Najib – the only man who can bring down Anwar

OPINION | Najib – the only man who can bring down Anwar


14 Aug 2025 • 4:00 PM MYT


TheRealNehruism
Writer. Seeker. Teacher

Image credit: Malay Mail


Late last month, after the mammoth Turun Anwar Rally in KL, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin came out with a statement saying that PAS has no intention of putting forward a “poster boy” to represent the coalition, insisting that such a decision will only be made once PN gains control of the government.


I think Hashim Jasin is putting the cart before the horse. The right order of things is to name the poster boy for the coalition — or its prime minister candidate — and then only try to gain control of the government.


As long as PN does not have a PM candidate, it will never be able to generate the sort of momentum required to topple Anwar’s reign or form a new government.


It might be strong enough to hold a large rally in KL to demand that Anwar steps down, but like a short rain on a hot day, the rally will amount to nothing, leaving no trace in reality after it occurs.


The biggest problem with the opposition in seeming like a viable challenge to the reigning government is that it doesn’t have a prime minister candidate who can rally its troops, inspire confidence in its supporters, convince fence-sitters to change their mind, and focus the attention, effort, time, and resources of the opposition effectively.


What the opposition currently has now is Muhyiddin, and I will categorically state that Muhyiddin doesn’t have it in him to lead the opposition to victory.


As long as Muhyiddin leads the opposition, other than an act of God, I am quite certain that the odds of the opposition being able to defeat Anwar are very low.


If Muhyiddin is replaced with Hamzah, it would be an improvement, but even this might not be enough to topple Anwar.


The problem with the opposition is that none of its current leaders look like they are in the same league as Anwar.


Whether it is Hamzah, Dr Sam, or whoever else is on the frontline of leading the opposition’s charge against the government — none of them look like they can stand toe to toe with Anwar.


The issue here is really one of identity — if it is asked which leader in the country Malaysians can identify with, the answer is Anwar, Mahathir, and Najib.


Like it or not, for various reasons, it is these three leaders that Malaysians feel are able to represent them.


Mahathir, I will state categorically, is out of contention, if for nothing else, because he is simply too old to be included in the consideration.


So that leaves us with only Anwar and Najib.


If Najib gets out of jail, I have a feeling that he will return to head Umno, and once he returns to head Umno, I feel that everybody from Khairy Jamaluddin to Hishammuddin Hussein will be back in Umno’s fold.


Such a reinvigorated Umno will appear like it is able to lead the country, which will then attract other parties — like PAS, Bersatu, or Muda — to desire to ally with Umno.


Even parties that are intending to leave UMNO — like MCA and MIC — might change their mind and remain with Umno.


When Umno is able to rally a stable of parties to back it, then it will be able to inspire confidence in its supporters, convince fence-sitters to change their mind, and focus the attention, effort, time, and resources to become the government more effectively.


The trigger for all of this to happen is for Najib to be released from jail and return to head Umno — without that, everything from Khairy returning to Umno, to MCA and MIC remaining in Umno, to other parties joining Umno will not happen.


The question, however, is whether Najib will ever be released from prison.


Today, the Federal Court is scheduled to deliver a decision on whether the Attorney-General may appeal against the leave granted to Najib to pursue judicial review proceedings aimed at enforcing a former king’s house arrest decree.


If the AG’s appeal is successful, then we might not have to imagine whether Anwar will be replaced as PM.


If it is unsuccessful, however, then it might be the case that Najib could be free soon, and just the possibility that Najib might be free — even if it is freedom in the sense of house arrest — might be enough to create a momentum that could shake the foundation of the unity government.