ANWAR IBRAHIM: CHE GUEVARA OR A MANDELA?

If a politician is someone seeking elected office or has political power in government, then surely Anwar has been a politician longer than almost anyone else living in our country today. Anwar's political apprenticeship had its beginning in 1974 with that demonstration in Baling forty-nine years back bagi memperjuangkan nasib petani miskin Kedah. From that time until December 2022, at PRU15, he has been the sole architect of his political journey to where he is today - as the tenth PM of Malaysia - PMX.

Forty- nine years of a struggle undiminished by prison, adversity of every shape, size, form, or by any manner that can possibly be conceived by men. A political apprenticeship that is defined by an unwavering belief in his own ability, to finally triumph - as he did, in December 2022.

If there are any among you who are prepared to put money on Anwar to not last past December 2023, then the adage that a fool and his money will soon be parted is true!

Of those of you who now think that I, and a few others, are writing to prop up Anwar as a leader of a government that lacks legitimacy and support after the 2023 polls - think again.

To be able to form a government after the contentious and certainly most divisive polls since 1957, surely required the patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon, and the unwavering commitment of Machiavelli who said "If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared”......for surely Anwar has finally slayed the demons and the devils that have plagued him through his political life by his victory at PRU15. Who is now left to challenge his hold on government - with or without the restu of the palace? After PRU15, if you think that the green tidal wave of PN can pose a threat in the coming state or any elections to come - think again.

This week, already, the green tidal wave that is PN, has been starved of oxygen, starved of what it most needs to survive - cash. PN's bank account has been frozen while an investigation is being made as to the legitimacy, or otherwise, of the hundreds of millions that were found there. Already, PN is gasping for oxygen.

Ahh...but surely the leaders of PN that are now being investigated for fraud, money laundering, and corruption involving billions......surely they would have money stashed in places unknown?

Let us be mindful of one thing...no one, no individual, no political party, can thrive without money in the bank. You can beg, borrow or steal money, but there will never be enough of what you really need if you do not already have it in the bank. PN is already gasping for political air. The state election be dammed, PN is now thinking of how to pay its office staff! Now, whose government has had PN gasping for oxygen? Anwar's!

After a hard-fought electoral battle that has made it necessary for Anwar to seek support from once-sworn enemies and political rivals, who has Anwar chosen to have by his side to trust and make his hold on power and government stronger? Nurul Izzah! Surely she is an appointment that Machiavelli would have applauded. Anwar can now march resolutely forward, knowing full well that his flank and his back will be covered by his own flesh and blood.

There are no political rivals on the horizon - not within PH, not within PKR, not anywhere in sight. Everyone's political survival depends on Anwar doing well, not the other way around. Anwar does not have to worry about dispensing patronage among his flock in PH nor among his coalition partners. There are all there because Anwar is PMX. They need him as PM more than he needs them to support him as PM - surely that is insurance against insurgency from within his own ranks?

So now what else has Anwar to do to rule?

Nothing much really! With its bank account frozen, PN is in its death throes. Umno? What of Umno? He already has Zahid on his side while those who are not with Zahid, have also declared their allegiance to Anwar. The results of the coming Umno party elections do not concern Anwar - it only concerns those in Umno. Win, lose, or draw - Umno will continue its support for Anwar.

So that's PN out of the way and Umno checkmated.

Anwar has now begun a tour de force of the Royals to tie up any loose ends that are still out there. No one can get the Royals on side quite as Anwar can. Yesterday, he had the Sultan of Johor coming to his house for tea - or whatever the Sultan of Johor wanted to have when he visited Anwar at his residence. So he now has the next King on his side. Other Royals will follow. Is Anwar then, a Royalist? The jury is still debating that matter, but he does what is needed.

So really what he has to do now is to govern well.

To those who think they know Anwar, think again! Machiavelli wrote “Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.”. That, my friend, is Anwar our PMX. He is more a Che Guevara than a Mandela, and yet he is more the Statesman than a revolutionary, for Anwar can be both, and be both well. He is Reformasi and he is also, today, PMX. A role he can play seamlessly and with aplomb, for there is really no one quite like Anwar dulu, kini and maybe, selama lama nya!