KUALA LUMPUR – Having recently struggled in their own respective turfs, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Seri Najib Razak can look to elevate their respective image and those of their parties when the two political bigwigs lock horns this evening.
Observers believe that the debate, which could have a potential bearing on public perception and sentiment, offers an opportunity for the two leaders to recapture support following a tough past couple of years.
Najib, while somewhat regaining popularity in rural, Malay-majority constituencies, has been struggling to refortify his reputation among urban voters since his involvement in the 1MDB scandal was laid bare.
Anwar, meanwhile, is seen to have lost much of his influence in Pakatan Harapan after leading the coalition to disastrous electoral outings in Melaka, Sarawak and Johor in the past year.
With the general election rumoured to be just around the corner, this debate could not have come at a more opportune moment, as both heavyweights will also look to promote their respective parties.
Convince the public, enhance your reputation
Speaking to The Vibes, Prof Jeniri Amir, a senior fellow at the National Professors Council, foresees both Anwar and Najib using the debate platform to market any new narrative their parties may have ahead of the national polls widely expected this year.
The Universiti Malaysia Sarawak adjunct professor said if the leaders are able to convince the public with concrete facts and figures of what they are able to offer, this could enhance their credibility.
“The people are not interested in personal attacks. This debate should go beyond that. What they would like to see is not so much the political rhetoric, but the ideas and contents of the discourse.
“Of course, if they can put forward a more convincing argument, it will enhance their reputation and image.
“At the end of the day, the rakyat will come to a conclusion on who they feel is better of the two,” he said.
Jeniri however disagreed with suggestions that the discourse will have a major influence on the general election results.
Anwar and Najib are set to face off at 9pm at the Malaysian Tourism Centre complex in a debate that will be divided into three segments.
The first will focus on financially troubled public-listed company Sapura Energy Bhd. The second will cover aspects of the economy, politics, governance and the country’s direction, while the third will be to field questions.
For Jeniri, the debate between Anwar and Najib is a sign of a mature democracy, involving two veteran leaders with an abundance of knowledge and experience.
“This debate should not be so much about who is the better debater, but what we can take away from it.
They are not ordinary people on the street. One (Najib) is a former prime minister, and the other an ex-deputy prime minister, both of whom have held the finance portfolio.”
Najib is also a former president of Umno, while Anwar is the current PKR president and parliamentary opposition leader.
Attempt at resuscitating political careers?
While the debate is unlikely to see a winner, Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun is of the opinion that both leaders will bid to promote themselves using their respective strengths and traits.
The academician predicts Najib will employ the charts-and-figures tactic known to be his forte, while his rival Anwar is likely to “wallow in his charismatic turn of phrases”.
“Ultimately, both would like to draw more public attention to themselves as potential future prime ministers,” he said.
In the case of Najib, Oh said his involvement in the debate alone has proven that the Pekan MP is still politically relevant. This is despite his fall from grace when he failed to lead Barisan Nasional to victory in the last general election and lost his recent corruption-related court case.
As for Anwar and PKR, the fact that party vice-president Rafizi Ramli successfully provoked Najib into this debate with his president has demonstrated to the public a degree of cohesiveness, which is much needed in PKR.
Asked what the debate would mean for ordinary citizens, Oh said that those who are not privy to the behind-the-scenes power plays will now have the consolation of being “spectators” to what he deems as a public showdown between political giants.
“Nothing much of substance beyond hyperbolic rhetoric is likely to come out of such an obvious attempt at respective resuscitations of political careers,” he said. – The Vibes, May 12, 2022
