Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has stated that he wishes to put an end to the persistent turbulent relationship between himself and former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. In an interview with CNBC Indonesia TV, Anwar highlighted that all parties should accept the fact that the people have given him the mandate to lead the government. He also emphasized that his current focus is to perform his duties as Prime Minister and that he will not entertain any negative comments from Dr Mahathir.
Anwar acknowledged that the political climate in Malaysia is different from other countries, describing it as “very sharp” which could be due to Dr Mahathir’s leadership style. He expressed a hope that the opposition will not continue to escalate political hostility and called for better dialogue by refraining from issuing statements that incriminate or label people as infidels.
When asked about the public’s criticisms, Anwar acknowledged that it is a challenge for the government, but he also stated that the people should not be blamed as they have the right to evaluate the performance of his cabinet. He also mentioned that he observed a change in the tone of young people, who now adopt a more open attitude and are not constrained by stagnant or conservative thinking.
Anwar’s comments were made during a pre-recorded special interview with CNBC Indonesia TV, which aired on January 13th. The interview took place during Anwar’s two-day visit to Indonesia last weekend.
