An Appreciation of Anwar Ibrahim's Article in Time Magazine

by James Wong Wing On

     Had the Time magazine article, "Who Hijacked Islam? Repressive Muslim regime are partly to blame for bin Laden's rise" been written by prime minister, Dr.Mahathir Mohammad, it would have certainly been splashed in the frontpages of all the English, Chinese and Tamil newspapers to show to the non-Muslims in Malaysia how lucky they are to have a moderate and reasonable Muslim to be their prime minister.

     Then, MCA president, Dr.Ling Liong Sik, Gerakan president, Dr.Lim Keng Yaik, MIC president, Samy Vellu and, not to forget, DAP's "Life" Adviser, Dr.Chen Man Hin and deputy chairman, Karpal Singh would have been interviewed, all heaping praises for the prime minister. Deputy prime minister, Abdullah Badawi would also have been made even busier to officiate more seminars and worshops on the Thoughts and Quotation of Dr.Mahathir Mohammad on moderate and tolerant Islam.

     However, that article was not written by Dr.Mahathir in Putrajaya, the Malaysian version of Constaninople of the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine. It was penned in the Sungai Buloh prison by the former protege, deputy and political as well as intellectual rival of the 75-year old prime minister-cum-finance minister. And so, every smart and mathematically calculative souls just pretend there is no such writing in an Anglo-Saxon international magazine.

     Such is the opportunism of the elite in Malaysia, both in power and in the established opposition. In Malaysia under Mahathirism, the criteria of right or wrong, good or bad, and excellence or mediocrity of a person and his or her idea is not judged according to some universal moral values or intellectual depth, but on whether one is is power or close enough to the power-that-be, or otherwise. It all depends on the changing and prevailing circumstances. It is capricious or even perfidious.

     However, for those of us who earns our living and names more honourably, Anwar Ibrahim's article, "Who Hijack Islam? Repressive Muslim regime are partly to blame for bin Laden's rise" deserves great appreciation, especially at a critical time when the country and region, particularly among our Islamic neighbours and friends, needs moral and intellectual leadership that is credible, as well as courageous voices of reason and moderation.

     Anwar Ibrahim, accused by his opponents as "homosexual", "Islamic fundamentalist" and "Western agent" simultaneously or all-in-one, could have remained silent on the issue of the terrorism. He has no power or position now. He sits in prison, not the cabinet or parliament. He could have opportunistically or charlatanistically opted for vulgar populism because there is now a rather widespread psychological need for ontological symbols of oppression and persecution.

     Instead, he has chosen to censure, in no uncertain terms, the terrorism committted against innocent and unarmed Americans in Washington D.C and New York City, in the name of his faith, Islam which means Peace.

     Anwar Ibrahim, recently accused by an Amy Ridenour as an "Islamic fundamentalist" in the Washington Time, a right-wing newspaper in the United States controlled by the Moonies, also expresses that "all efforts to punish the perpetrator (of the terrorist attack in Washington D.C and New York City) must be supported". The highest form of moral courage and leadership is marked by the willingness and ability to be self-critical of oneself, and one's own race, co-religionists, country and party with the positive intention for collective self-improvement.

     Swaggering around opportunistically with anti-imperialist slogans and anti-Zionist rhetorics at this grave moment of world moral crisis reflects spiritual poverty, intellectual dishonesty and the utter lack of credible political leadership. On the contrary,in his article, Anwar Ibrahim has shown by example what true spiritual, intellectual and political leadership is, although he is still officially a secular prisoner who holds no position.

     It is time we open our ears, eyes, hearts and minds to what is true, right and good. We certainly have grown older in the past three years, but let us pray that we would also grow wiser. In Anwar Ibrahim's article, Malaysians finally sees a ray of hope in the darkness of sectarianism and opportunism.