KUALA LUMPUR – While Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would make several changes to his past conduct if it were possible to turn back the hands of time, he would never consider backing away from the guiding principles that have brought him this far.
Besides “smiling more,” the opposition leader shared that he wishes he had been tougher on some of his views and eased up on the “antagonising” of too many people.
Recalling in particular how he had raised the issue of the controversial Pandora Papers, he said that there were those who felt “threatened” by his insistence on addressing the matter.
“But that is the price you have to pay when you raise (certain issues). It will cost you problems because they will gang up (against you).
“They have the means and wealth to make sure that you are denied,” he said in an interview with Sinar Daily recently.
Obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the Pandora Papers revealed financial information on 35 current and former world leaders, and over 330 politicians and public officials in 91 countries and territories.
Among the Malaysians named in the document were former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Selayang MP William Leong.
In October last year, Anwar had filed a motion to debate the issue in Parliament. His request was later dismissed by Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun who said the RM900 billion outflow revealed in the expose is “not urgent”.
Asked by the Sinar Daily reporter for his thoughts on coming so close to holding the title of prime minister, yet having been deprived of it thus far, an apparently sedate Anwar philosophically said that he believes in upholding principles far more than he cares about a position.
He said that if a condition for him to become prime minister would be to clear all corruption cases against top Umno leaders, he is unwilling to partake in such arrangements.
“You fail to achieve but you stick by your principles, I think that is very important,” the PKR president said, adding that if he were to become prime minister he would firstly focus on “rice and curry” issues by addressing economic difficulties faced by the nation’s people.
Noting that many of the country’s top leaders are overseas at a time when a major economic crisis is gripping the nation, he lambasted the current government as “being in a state of denial.”
“You must focus your attention on issues that are affecting the people by having a certain plan of action…whatever it takes to try and reduce the burden shouldered by the common man.
“This matter cannot be resolved within one cabinet meeting, after which everyone disappears. That is why we are disgusted with the situation now,” he said.
On Monday, a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had decided on several immediate measures as the government desperately tries to stabilise product supply and local prices amid ballooning chicken prices and supply shortages recently. – The Vibes, May 28, 2022
