By Ilica Malkanthi Karunaratne

Through legend and lore, both historical and literary, giants have a special place. People are always fascinated by these larger than life characters from the real giant–Goliath–to the fictional giant of Jack and the beanstalk fame.

Dudley Senanayake and Anwar Ibrahim can both be considered giants among men; particularly among politicians and statesmen of our time. One similarity is their firm stance against corruption, lawlessness and injustice. Dudley, as Anwar mentioned, was one of the first leaders among Asians to focus on poverty eradication. Another similarity which I noted after reading through some of Anwar’s publications is that Dudley, a devout Buddhist, and Anwar a devout Muslim, both believed that no ethnic group or religion was superior to the other. They believed not only on good relations and harmony among ethnic groups in their own countries but also in friendship and cooperation among all races in the world. One of Dudley’s most famous sayings was: ‘I long for the day when every Sri Lankan can say with pride this is my own, my native land”

Reading through Anwar’s writing on The Asian Renaissance, I noted an important passage which read: “Properly instituted democracy will ensure order and stability. Because it allows for legitimate grievances to be aired and contentious issues to be openly debated, democracy prevents the accumulation of violent and disruptive forces. The pursuit of economic prosperity is no justification for the persistent and flagrant deprivation of political and civil liberties.”

Another passage read as follows: ‘The fact that democracy is often abused, leading to chaos and paralysis, does not mean that dictatorship is the answer. Rather, the solution lies in purging democracy of its excesses such as unrestrained individualism on the one hand and mob rule on the other. Thus, democracy must be revitalized by infusing it with ethical principles and moral uprightness derived from Asian civilizational ideals and intellectual legacies.”

‘The test of true democracy lies in the extent of the people’s participation in the democratic process and overall societal development. Thus, it is incumbent upon all of us to nurture the advancement of a civil society. This is the process of conscientization—making citizens aware of their fundamental rights and encouraging them to act diligently to safeguard their basic liberties from being eroded or trampled on. They should not suffer in silence while injustices are perpetrated in their midst. This process is crucial to ensure the protection of the development of civil society.”

I find in all this thinking, shades of the way Dudley thought and spoke in his time. Today, these issues have become more important than ever in order for freedom and democracy to survive. Dudley Senanayake and Anwar Ibrahim are both epitomes each in their time of liberal democracy. In his oration to commemorate Dudley, Anwar made some important points. “Three central values that are the foundation for liberal democracy are liberty, social pluralism and political constitutionalism.” Speaking of the judiciary in a democracy, he said, “The judiciary must remain independent. Under no circumstances should it be under the control or influence of the legislature, let alone the Executive. There is a saying that when the law is subjugated to the chicanery of politics, that is where the judges are subservient to the political masters, the administration of justice becomes farcical and perverse.” He quoted Thomas Jefferson, who time and again warned against ‘the abuse of unlimited powers by elected despots and foretold that the time would come when corruption in this, as in the country from which we derive our origin, will have seized the heads of government and be spread by them through the body of the people; when they will purchase the voices of the people and make them pay the price.’ He had a special message for the Opposition which was the subject of his oration. ‘The opposition must demand transparency in all government actions and dealings, leave no stone unturned in its quest for a free and fair media and constantly guard against the rise of despotism and tyranny. The latter we know go hand in hand with abuse of power and corruption that being the scourge of most developing countries and emerging economies.’

Anwar’s oration was not only synonymous with the views of the late Dudley Senanayake in more ways than one, but was also a message for the media too that these issues need to be highlighted and fought against. Another important point he stressed was that we tend to criticize other countries on misdeeds but don’t look at our own record in the very things we accuse others of doing. In short, we must clean our own stables without attempting to preach to others.

Anwar Ibrahim is also a well known scholar and authority on literature and history. These are the trademarks of a cultured man. He and Dudley have other attributes in common; their great simplicity, compassion and humility. There lies a lesson for all of us in these qualities which we should try to emulate.

“What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! Inform, in moving, how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a God! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals!”

-William Shakespeare in Hamlet