Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s desperate gambit has failed. He had claimed in a recent interview to The Financial Times that he would quit politics and become a teacher if he failed to win GE13. He had no doubt expected to receive lots of sympathy and hear howls of dismay from his allies, with supporters clamouring for him to not think of retiring.
Unfortunately for Anwar, none of that happened. No sympathy, no howls of dismay and no clamouring supporters.
It seemed as if everyone in Pakatan Rakyat is already resigned to losing the general election, with the coalition’s poor track record in the states it rules, its petty internal squabbles, the lack of a common manifesto, the disagreement between PAS and DAP over hudud, and the growing corruption allegations in Selangor.
No wonder Pakatan leaders were not surprised by Anwar’s defeatist admission – they probably agree with his assessment of the coalitions’ chances in GE13.
But what must be hurting Anwar more is that no one came forward to say that he should not become a teacher. It seems as if all his colleagues at PKR, particularly his right-hand man Azmin Ali, would be happy to see him go.
Even the Lim dynasty at DAP and the invisible Abdul Hadi Awang at PAS would be happy to see Anwar as a teacher instead of as a politician, because of the incalculable harm he is causing the Opposition coalition.
With Anwar’s infamous hand gestures at Bersih 3.0 fresh in people’s minds, most Malaysians hold Anwar and Azmin responsible for the mayhem that took place on April 28 and for turning a peaceful demonstration into a violent street battle.
Then the financial allegations over Anwar’s tenure as Finance Minister in the 90s and the RM3 billion he allegedly stashed away in bank accounts have destroyed Pakatan’s thin façade of credibility. Not that this was very robust anyway, given the corruption scandal that has erupted in Selangor over the PKR-led state government’s controversial bailout of Talam in 2009.
But yes, it is clear that Anwar’s Pakatan allies would be happy to see him teaching somewhere and hanging out with his foreign journo friends, instead of trying to lead their coalition and doing such a poor job of it.
Not one senior DAP or PAS leader has come out saying, “Anwar, please don’t go.”
So Anwar’s bluff has not worked. On the other hand, it has given his opponents even more ammunition.
His former mentor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said last week that Anwar should not waste any more time if he intends to retire from politics.
“He should retire right now. It is futile … his desire to become the prime minister,” the former prime minister told reporters.
He said Anwar’s statement was mere rhetoric because, even if Pakatan loses in the next general election, Anwar would continue to dream of becoming the prime minister.
Dr Mahathir said in jest that an honorary prime ministerial post should be established for Anwar for the duration of five days to enable him to fulfil his dream prior to retirement.
Poor Anwar. His retirement bluff is now increasingly looking like a nightmare.
Perhaps he should head off into the sunset now and get it over with, instead of leading Pakatan into a humiliating loss at GE13, which would destroy his credibility forever.