FROM the day Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took over as prime minister, he has been having a tough time holding up Malaysia on his shoulders.
Indeed, the burden of public office is heavy and painful. One can imagine him cringing, grimacing, groaning, and scowling as he carries the weight of his duties from office to home day in and day out.
As soon as he sits behind the desk, he must be swamped with the cares of the nation.
There must be piles and piles of paperwork to read or sign, ceaseless phone calls to answer or make, and seemingly endless party or government meetings to chair to sort out whatever problems bedevilling the country or Pakatan Harapan.
But if there is one matter that tops his list of worries and that is probably giving him sleepless nights, it must surely be the relentless snipings of the opposition forces and their growing political clout.
How to rest when Perikatan Nasional (PN) is persistently gnawing at his heels? Every step Anwar takes is met with strident criticism and outrage.
PN cannot find anything good or useful in his policies and programmes meant to take Malaysia at least a notch or two higher in the quality of life.
Indeed, Anwar is walking on a tight rope. He’s holding a long pole and doing a balancing act: on the one hand, he must ensure all the 154 MPs stay firmly on his side, and on the other, keep an eye on his own PKR members who might bolt the stable to join forces with one former close ally and PKR deputy president.
Although he has a two-thirds majority, there is no guarantee that his coalition pact wouldn’t unravel over some serious issues which the opposition might exploit to the hilt.
The Madani government might serve its full term or it might close shop and call for a snap general election. To a large extent, it depends on what the opposition is up to and whether it can spring a major surprise attack.
Or even whether Anwar’s Barisan Nasional partners can be trusted to stick together to the end.
Whether he is in office or in bed, all these nagging thoughts will keep him company: Will I be betrayed? How strong is the tide against me? Can the opposition mount an effective challenge? What’s up their sleeves?
Can they succeed in tabling a motion of no confidence in me in Parliament? Will the newly appointed chief justice, once an UMNO man, ruled against me if my lawsuits go up to his august court?
And can that very old nasty man succeed in his campaign to save Malaysia from me?
What must I do to stay afloat?
Anwar looks at his crystal ball but it’s all cloudy—it shows nothing. He looks heavenward and there are no tips from up there. He sees shadows moving furtively all around him and he can’t figure out who they might be: friends or foes?
These are dangerous times for him. You don’t know how events might play out. Given that in politics there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies, the wind can blow in either direction—favourable to Anwar or whistling the death knell to his political career.
Such is the burden of office and politics: you have to take care of 36 million people of varied races and religions, and at the same time, ward off constant threats to your leadership.
But one thing is certain: if the string he’s clinging to snaps and he falls from grace, his travail will not end. Anwar will be hounded until his adversaries have exacted their revenge. ‒ July 24, 2025
Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image: Bernama
