In a dramatic turn of events, the jailed politician and the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim has made a return – prompting many politicians across the world to rethink and re-strategize their current positions. However, there are a few crucial facts to ponder over his spectacular return.
Ibrahim’s intimacy with Mahathir dates back to the early 70’s while he was a students’ leader, and since then it has been a relationship of friends turning foes, differing mindsets, political and ideological rivalry. They have been friends, enemies and now friends again. It has practically been a defining moment in Malaysian politics which created a positive response in society.
But despite a binge of differences between the two what has been common is their shared vision for Malaysia. His dismissals spurred the Reformasi movement in Malaysia – a series of Anwar-led protests – against the Mahathir and post Mahathir governments.
And after two decades of bitter enmity what we are witnessing in today’s Malaysia are, a fallen leader’s endless perseverance and the beginning of a new era in Malaysian politics.Is such a tale of a political survival possible to enact in Bangladesh? More specifically, can the jailed opposition leader Khaleda Zia become our Anwar Ibrahim? Can she make a dramatic return for taking the country in the path of functional democracy?
There may be a series of common fate endured by Mrs. Zia and Ibrahim. Both have been questioned, tortured and jailed. Their political parties have often become victims of ruthless torments.
But, however, differences are more between the two as political leaders. Despite decades long bitter hostility Anwar- Mahathir would form a coalition since the country needs them now more than ever before. For the first time, post-independence Malaysia is about to have a new coalition.
Anwar’s return to the political forefront comes at a time when Malaysians are more informed than ever. Social media and a generation of courageous voters have opened up a discourse once aggressively hushed by the government.
The situation among the public is also same in Bangladesh – they are more informed than ever before. Social media and private TV channels have opened up heated debate sessions, but the Anwar-like leader, Khaleda Zia for that matter, leading the opposition at the forefront is missing.
Mrs Zia understandably lacks that charisma, organising and leading capability similar to Ibrahim. Most noticeably, she lacks the vision for Bangladesh. The main differences between their politicians and ours, in recent times, are sharing values and visions for a common good. Otherwise, Mahathir wouldn’t have said he would leave after a couple of years handing out power to Anwar.
There are many different positions about Anwar – there are those who see him as a political animal; others see him as a reformer; others see him as an important bridge maker, but the undeniable fact, he is a proven political survivor. It is the reality his party was the strongest opposition party. But the government party is so strong and so powerfully organised that it was impossible for Anwar Ibrahim to come to power.
He had formed election alliance accepting with the former enemy and popular former Prime Minister of many years Mahathir as leader of the election alliance. Mahathir could become the newly elected Prime Minister because Ibrahim conceded that Mahathir would be the Prime Minister although his party was by far the largest opposition party.
BNP like Awami League is not a democratically considered political party and both of the parties are parties for enjoying power without politics. So they cannot think of political dialogue or political compromise.
Unless BNP leaders can think politically and make the kind of alliance under a common leadership it has no chance of ring change through election. BNP’s present leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman are not acceptable to many though all agree that a political change is essential.
The crisis is-we have no political leadership to think politically for the greater interest of the country. In the present political scenario it is doubtful that BNP can think of making any political concession to give up the dream of its leadership to come to power without making the kind of concession Anwar Ibrahim made. He accepted a Mahathir to be short-time Prime Minister first.
