Malaysia’s political reformers, now seemingly accustomed to defeat after losing power more than two years ago, are holding out hope for another surprise win when the country goes to the polls on November 19. While victory for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) opposition coalition is not inconceivable, it will certainly be a tall order.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, 75, has acknowledged the coming polls will be his last attempt at becoming prime minister, an office that has long eluded the leader of Malaysia’s “reformasi” movement. Anwar has hinted he will retire to allow a younger generation of leaders to sustain and lead his party’s struggle if he falls short at next month’s election.
Among them is a figure already seen as his potential successor: 45-year-old Rafizi Ramli, a former Petronas executive turned tech entrepreneur known for his sometimes testy ties with Anwar. He was elected as Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) deputy president in May, comfortably beating out a loyalist candidate backed by Anwar, who retained the party presidency unopposed.
“Sometimes I don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye with Anwar,” said Rafizi, who spoke with Asia Times earlier this year. During an interview in June, Rafizi said that “political disillusionment” born of PH’s short-lived tenure in government and Anwar’s failed subsequent bids to return to power would be the opposition’s biggest electoral hurdle.
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Nile Bowie is a journalist and correspondent with the Asia Times covering current affairs in Singapore and Malaysia. He can be reached at nilebowie@gmail.com.
