YOURSAY | Anwar needs to talk to the man in the mirror

YOURSAY | ‘Anwar is wasting his time playing one-upmanship with Tommy Thomas.’

'I'm open to criticism but Thomas needs a mirror too'

Vijay47: Anyone who ventures into the public eye, such as former attorney-general Tommy Thomas, prime ministers, inspector-general of police, attorney-generals, and aspirants to a higher office cannot protest if they fall under public scrutiny, challenge, and reprimand.

In suggesting that Thomas also look into the mirror, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is certainly right.

But Anwar Ibrahim is Anwar Ibrahim, cunning and selective. By describing Thomas as racist, Anwar seeks the immediate support of the Malays, a hope equally present in his defence of the civil service. Conveniently, he ignores the towering elephant in the public sector.

He seems to believe that there is nothing immoral or unjust in having a service made up almost exclusively of one race yet funded by all.

In referring to the capabilities within the civil service, perhaps he is also including the very top, the former chief secretary to the government Mohd Sidek Hassan, who appears to have brought his position to new heights.

But Thomas is not the only event in town. We see the growing creep of religion into everything Malaysian, where the Bon Odori issue is a simple example. Anwar had nothing to comment on this, nor on the PAS ulama wing’s openly challenging and being insolent to the Selangor sultan.

Yes, this surely falls under Anwar’s guiding light of “Don’t spook the Malays”.

MS: Does anyone need any more proof that PKR president Anwar is fit to be anything other than a rabble-rouser?

The man does not hesitate to cheer on a racist civil service into which he injected the venom of religious bigotry as part of his ‘ketuanan Islam’ campaign in the 1990s.

But when Thomas points out the gross incompetence which is apparent to everyone except members of the ‘ketuanan’ clan, the two-timing, "I'll-have-it-both-ways" mischief-maker speaks piously about "elements of racism".

Going by that logic, any non-Malay criticising his bosom buddy, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, is also racist.

Seriously, if ever there was one good thing former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad did, it was in making sure this chameleon who specialises in playing to the gallery, would never be prime minister.

PinkCougar9549: I think Thomas means well; he wants Port Dickson MP Anwar to be the prime minister.

Anwar needs to change to attain higher recognition, trust and confidence among the higher hierarchy of our society.

At times, shed some tears to share your deep feelings about the suffering of the rakyat. Mahathir can hold people’s hearts with occasional tears, but unfortunately, many of us know his hidden agenda may not be good for society.

He now has very high trust deficits among experienced and educated Malaysians for what he did to the country. To us, he's no longer trustworthy, something a national leader requires to be.

Unspin: Anwar's retort that Thomas should look into a mirror too is very childish. Thomas, and a lot more people, are rightfully saying that Anwar should reflect on why he has failed to reach the summit after so many miserable attempts to do so.

Let's put it another way: Anwar tried for years to win the general election. But when he was out of the picture, Pakatan Harapan finally won the 14th general election.

If Anwar and his supporters care to survey independent voters, you would not be surprised that most of them do not have confidence in Anwar and think that he is a liability.

Way To Go: Anwar is wasting his time playing one-upmanship with Thomas about who should look in the mirror. And why draw a parallel with a mere white-collar public official who is out of the game at that?

Thomas looking in the mirror now is inconsequential, an exercise in futility as far as the people are concerned. But not so for Anwar.

As a politician with a relentless ambition to be prime minister, Anwar is in a different sphere. And having failed in his many past attempts, not only Thomas but at least Harapan supporters have the right to hold Anwar to account. So why get so sensitive about Thomas' call to look in the mirror?

All the more, considering the string of failed attempts and his insistence on throwing the dice in another attempt against popular demands for him to let go, Thomas’ call is relevant and timely. For the overall good of Harapan, Anwar should look in his mirror and face reality.

Anonymous_47029368: Both are old men already, still ask each other to look in the mirror for what?

IndigoTrout2522: It is not about Thomas. It is about you, Anwar, because you are the leader of the opposition. The people are looking up to you for inspiration and leadership.

Winning or losing GE15 too depends on you. So don’t compare yourself to Thomas. He did his job as attorney-general.

Now, show how you can unite the people with a new narrative, how can lead and solve the problems such as jobs, inflation, economy, pandemic health, divisive politics, education, etc, that people care about.

Tell the people that factionalism has no place in PKR, and racialism and religious extremism have no place in Malaysia. The future of Malaysia is multiracial, with meritocracy, an independent judiciary and anti-corruption as its main pillars.

When Harapan and the opposition are united, it can win the general elections. Spread the politics of positivism, hope and unity.

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