From Malaysian Insider
In February, a very influential Australian MP described Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as “intelligent and articulate and passionate democrat. He is committed to a thorough reform of Malaysian Government, to rid it of cronyism, corruption and authoritarian tendencies that have gained ground since (Tun Dr) Mahathir Mohamad became prime minister in 1981.”
The reformist
Anwar is a reformist and reformists everywhere seem to share the same fate. To give a few examples: Benigno Aquino (Ninoy) of the Philippines was shot on the tarmac of Manila Airport as soon as he embarked from self exile in the US. The revered Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi, was shot at point blank range. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X of the United States were both shot in public. Abdul Kadir Audah and Hassan Al Banna of Egypt were hanged and shot in the street respectively under Gamal Abdul Nasser’s regime. Anwar was incarcerated in Kamunting in 1974 and later imprisoned in Sungai Buloh for more than six years.
Social and political reformers are never safe inside or outside the courthouse. Outside, their lives hinge on the barrel of a gun. Inside the courthouse, they are like slaves thrown into the lions’ arena of the ancient Roman Coliseum, with prosecutors enjoying control of the Court albeit using dubious charges.
Anwar’s arrest (1974)
I first met Anwar 40 years ago at Malaysia Hall in London. Lean and with a gaunt face, the un-pretentious and affable celebrated student leader struck me as one humble and modest and down-to-earth individual — a portrait of one among equals. I took to him immediately.
I next met him in 1974 as his friend and defence counsel when he was first arrested for unlawful assembly (the mammoth Baling Demonstration involving hundreds of university students) and later charged under the ISA. For that, I was pulled up by the then-home affairs minister, Ghazali Shafie (later made a Tun), who was told by the then-prime minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak, that I was defending this maverick Anwar, despite me being a government backbencher (I was the MP for Maran, Pahang.) Tun Ghazali was sombre and I was even more sombre.
I was restless for a few days, until I made an appointment to see Tun Razak at his official residence in Sri Taman. As I entered the gate of Sri Taman, the young and handsome Najib Razak was driving to go to work. He lowered his window screen, smiled broadly and said, “Political problems?” “Yes, “I replied, and he disappeared. (more…)