*"I understand how Anwar feels. During his government he was sent to the Sungai Buloh prison. It's not easy for him to accept and shake hands with me. " *Quote Anwar Ibrahim's words during a speech in front of his supporters in Kuala Lumpur in May 2013.
That day, September 2, 1998, Nurul Izzah was studying for a math test at his campus, Universiti Tenaga Nasional. Around 19:30, a friend called. "I'm sorry," said the friend. Nurul Izzah was confused. What is wrong? "Have not you heard? The Prime Minister has fired your father, "his friend preached.
Direct Nurul Izzah tears. Toward midnight, Nurul can only connect by phone with his father. "Izzah, you have to be brave. Father will fight. Finish your exam and do not worry about your father, "Anwar Ibrahim, quoted by Asia Week, reassured his eldest son.
The next day, Nurul, now 37, completes the test and rushes home to his father's office. Arriving home, power failure and water no longer flowing. Police helicopters flew around the house. Anwar's family was evicted from the official house and forced to return to a private home in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.
Whereas just a few days earlier, Anwar was the second most powerful man in Malaysia. He is the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. You could say that Anwar was the 'crown prince', just waiting for time to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia to replace his political mentor, Mahathir Mohamad.
It is said that, lately, Anwar more often disagree with Mahathir. Anwar is also increasingly critical of corruption and cronyism that undermines the country's bureaucracy. Malaysia, according to Anwar at that time, needs immediate political reform. Needs a clean young blood shot of corruption and cronies. Anwar's relationship with his boss, Mahathir, is increasingly tenuous and tense.
From the number two in Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim became a prisoner. Not only was he forcibly demoted from his post, just days after he was fired, Anwar was also vilified for allegations of corruption and sodomy.
Two allegations he never admitted. In Malaysia, sodomy is forbidden. Anwar Ibrahim became the enemy of the government and the court threw him into prison. In total he has to be in jail for 15 years because he is proven to be corrupt and sodomy.
Like his promise to his eldest daughter, to this day nearly twenty years later, in various ways Anwar continues to fight the allegations addressed to him. Similarly his wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and the eldest, Nurul Izzah. Their home in Bukit Damansara became the base of resistance against the Malaysian government.
From a schoolboy who only knew to take care of college, Nurul Izzah became an activist, became an orator, struggling to defend his father. "I have to clear my father's name and restore the family's honor. How can I just sit idle? "Said Nurul Izzah, at that time.
Perhaps it is true, there is no eternal friend, so are the eternal opponents, in politics. That is what happens in Malaysia today, it is also possible in Indonesia and elsewhere.
On September 5, 2016, Anwar Ibrahim came to the Malaysian High Court's office to attend his court hearing of the National Security Council's Shelter. Unexpectedly, in the courtroom he meets his friend and his old opponent, Mahathir Mohamad. That was the first meeting after 18 years of unemployment. Both shook hands and talked.
My father always reminds us to forgive, "Nurul Izzah, now Vice President of the People's Justice Party, the party his father founded, commented on the meeting, quoted by ABC. "The fact that my father shook hands and exchanged smiles with Mahathir is a symbol of the importance of stepping forward to strengthen democracy in Malaysia rather than focusing on personal suffering.”
For years in prison, Anwar was not only humiliated and humiliated, but also persecuted in jail until seriously injured. Having enjoyed the freedom for eight years, Anwar was again dragged into prison in 2015 and lived there to this day.
It was Najib Razak who united the two opposing men. The elder Mahathir, already more than ten years out of the Prime Minister's position, took to the streets against Prime Minister Najib Razak. "Of all Malaysian Prime Ministers, nobody is accused of corruption like this and everyone says it like that," Mahathir said in an interview with the Guardian in 2015.
Over the past few years, cases of alleged corruption in government-owned companies, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), so a hot issue to shake Najib's power. Allegedly there is a very large money that is shaken from the company's vacuum flows to the personal accounts of Najib and his family. The Malaysian Attorney General declared Najib clean, but law enforcers in several countries, including the United States and Switzerland, continue to investigate the 1MDB corruption case because the flow of illicit money flows through their banks.
Mahathir, as well as Anwar, know very well they will not be able to overthrow the rule of Prime Minister Najib who is supported by the Barisan Nasional coalition if they fight separately. Fuss, they are two opponents with a very long bitter history. Is it possible that Anwar's family is willing to forget the pain they have suffered since 1998 ?
Nurul Nuha, Anwar's daughter, gave one condition to Mahathir. "As a child who witnesses countless tortures against his father, I hope Dr. Mahathir apologizes openly and admits the fabricated false accusations," Nuha said quoted by the Straits Times. But Mahathir is reluctant to meet the demands of Anwar's daughter. According to Mahathir, there is no need to apologize to Anwar. "We've all said bad things to each other. I'm not suing people to apologize for all the bad names given to me .... All that happened in the past, "Mahathir told SBS.
Whatever happened in the past, after the first meeting at the Court, the camps of Mahathir and Anwar continued to dock. Mahathir was invited to speak at the Pakatan Harapan Convention, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat, the Parti Amanah Negara and the Democratic Action Party in November 2016. In his speech, Mahathir again emphasized that they could not win against the National Front if they were not united.
The Malaysian Indigenous Party of Malaysia, the party that Mahathir founded with Muhyiddin Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister removed from Najib, was ready to join Pakatan. "It's just a matter of time," Mahathir was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia. Wan Azizah, Anwar's wife and President of Parti Keadilan, declared ready to open the door for Mahathir. "If you love this country, please prioritize the interests of the people," Wan Azizah reminded participants of the convention.
The deal was reached a month later. Wan Azizah, President of the Indigenous Peoples of Muhyiddin, Secretary-General of the Action Party of Lim Guan Eng, and President of Parti Amanah Mohammad Sabu signed a coalition pact before the end of 2016. Seven months later, coalition leadership was formed. Mahathir became Chairman, while Wan Azizah served as President of Pakatan. One remaining homework is to elect a Prime Minister candidate for the 2018 General Election.
Without Anwar, still in prison, Mahathir became the only figure in Pakatan Harapan that was 'worth selling'. "In the opposition ranks, I am parallel to Prime Minister Najib. He is a top dog in the government, "Mahathir said. But choosing a former opponent to be a prime minister candidate is not an easy thing to accept in Pakatan. According to sources quoted by the Malaysian media, there was a faction in the Justice Parties who objected, although Wan Azizah had already agreed to Mahathir becoming a prime minister candidate for Malaysia.
Only in early January 2018 the deal was reached. With tears in his eyes, Wan Azizah announced the appointment of Mahathir as the prime minister of Pakatan Harapan with Wan Azizah as Deputy Prime Minister. But this Mahathir election with a number of conditions. If Pakatan wins and Mahathir becomes the ruler of Putra Jaya, he must apply for an amnesty for Anwar to the Sultan of Malaysia, Yang Dipertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V.
If Anwar is free, Mahathir will surrender his position to Anwar. "I understand how Anwar feels. During his government he was sent to the Sungai Buloh prison. It is not easy for him to accept and shake hands with me, "Mahathir said. "And not only for Anwar, but also his family who experienced many difficulties during his imprisonment. Forget it is not easy. Therefore, I owe them and thank Anwar and his family. "
Through a written statement read by his daughter, Nurul Izzah, Anwar ready to accept the agreement Pakatan Hope. "With the spirit of cooperation, I accepted the deal," Anwar wrote, quoted by Malaysian Insight.
The union of two opponents, Mahathir's stronghold and Anwar's stronghold, in Malaysia's General Election on Wednesday, created a new history for this neighboring country. After 62 years in power, the Barisan Nasional was driven out of power by an opposition coalition. And at the age of 92, Mahathir was again sworn in as Prime Minister of Malaysia two days ago.
