anwar interview with sbs australia

DATELINE INTERVIEW BY GEORGE NEGUS

GEORGE NEGUS: Doctor, it's good to see you. You bob up all over the place these days. Here you are, out of jail after all of those years, but still in political limbo in your own country. What is it that drives you to keep going back into trouble?
ANWAR IBRAHIM, FORMER EX PRISONER OF SUNGAI BULOH: It's not a question of going into trouble, I mean, I don't have a choice. I am committed to the reform agenda. I have given this pledge and I must remain consistent.

GEORGE NEGUS: At this stage you are to all intents and purposes banned from speaking in your own country, you can't actually take part in the politics of your own country, but you have already put up your hand and said yes, you want to run in the next election.
ANWAR IBRAHIM: It is my basic right as a citizen. The previous administration used a corpse to deny me of this right. How do you expect me to submit to a process that is fundamentally flawed, condemned by the international community?
GEORGE NEGUS: Legally, correct me if I'm wrong, you can't participate in Malaysian politics until April of next year?
ANWAR IBRAHIM: What law are you talking about, George? This is a legal process

GEORGE NEGUS: If you tried to speak, you can't speak publicly.
ANWAR IBRAHIM: I did, and I continue to do so. There a lot of restrictions - I can't enter any university in the country, permits had been denied, no report in the mainstream media controlled by the government. Notwithstanding, I'm exercising my rights.

GEORGE NEGUS: They are never going to let you have the freedom.
ANWAR IBRAHIM: Well, there is a slim chance that Prime Minister Abdullah will act according to the principles of justice..

GEORGE NEGUS: He seems to be putting everything he possibly can in your way.
ANWAR IBRAHIM: That's fine, but I am an optimist, an incorrigible optimist.

GEORGE NEGUS: The next big thing in Malaysian politics, you were once called. The former golden boy of South-East Asian politics. Some people even saw you as a Nelson Mandela of Malaysia. Is it possible that you are more popular and have more credibility and more support outside your country than inside? That maybe Anwar Ibrahim's time has come and gone? You've had your moment?
ANWAR IBRAHIM: That's what the ruling party would like to believe. If that is so

GEORGE NEGUS: I didn't talk to them before I said that, by the way.
ANWAR IBRAHIM: Why the courts? Why the restrictions? Why the complete ban in the media? Why use the courts? Why use the police? If Anwar is irrelevant, then you can just ignore him. But I think, to the contrary, I do receive some support. I'm not in a position to gauge the extent of support, because it can only be done through a free, fair election that we don't have in Malaysia.

GEORGE NEGUS: If you had to compare Mahathir's Malaysia with Badawi's Malaysia, how would you describe the difference?
ANWAR IBRAHIM: The policies are quite the same. The system operates under the judiciary under the behest of political leaders, the media is completely under the control of the ruling party, yes, but Mahathir used crude, brutal force. Abdullah certainly has shown a lot of, ah ..

GEORGE NEGUS: Subtlety?
ANWAR IBRAHIM: ..more subtle and slightly at times, even some compassion.

GEORGE NEGUS: Is it a democracy?
ANWAR IBRAHIM: Certainly it is not a democracy. The best way to describe Malaysia under the present regime is soft authoritarianism.

GEORGE NEGUS: Soft authoritarianism. Let's talk about Dr Mahathir, your old nemesis. You say, I think, that you've forgiven him but you've not forgotten what happened. So why have you decided to take legal action against him?
ANWAR IBRAHIM: I have said no malice towards him, or anyone.

GEORGE NEGUS: He's obviously still got malice towards you.
ANWAR IBRAHIM: Yes, and he repeats it. He continues to condemn me and continues to cast malicious, scurrilous attacks against me. And I said, "Please don't, you are getting to be obsolete and you're getting very personal." And after the third time he repeated, then I decided to institute civil proceedings against him. Knowing the limitations of the system and the judiciary, but not withstanding I would exercise my right.

GEROGE NEGUS: Have any members of your family ever said, "Enough is enough. You're pushing a gigantic rock uphill. You're not going to make it"?
ANWAR IBRAHIM: They suffered immensely all these years. My wife, my children, and my close associates. And they remain committed.

GEORGE NEGUS: So you're not going to give up, clearly?
ANWAR IBRAHIM: How do you surrender to the corrupt? How do you submit to your jailers?

tunku : first of all a a person can only carry the title of doctor if he/she is a medical science degree holder, not for those with phd.
just see how anwar is so careful when time come to comment about abdullah. even during ceramah he seldom talk about abdullah and attacks najib instead.he said that our election is not fair, again i am asking this moron what about when he was the deputy pm? this guy is full of rubbish. yes it is true that he is more famous outside malaysia because those people can't see our success and use this type of moron(anwar) as their weapon.i pledge malaysian not to fall into his trap.well anwar lets wait for the court hearing on ypur case against Tun Mahathir, hope to see some more/new evidence.you can have sukma sitting next to you in the court room.


We don’t call them ‘Doctor’

WITH so many honorary doctorates being awarded by so many universities in Malaysia, could you please clarify whether the recipients can actually use the designation “Dr” before their names, and whether we need to address them as “Doctors”?
It would seem unfair to those PhD holders who earned their doctorate the hard way. – Belallang
As far as I know, recipients of honorary doctorates should not use “Dr” before their names, nor should we address them as “Dr So-and-So”.
An honorary doctorate is given by a university as a mark of honour, and does not indicate that the recipient is an expert in whatever field the doctorate is in. But when a recipient writes his full name, followed by the degrees and awards he has earned and received, he could include the honorary doctorate among these, if it’s clearly stated that the doctorate is honorary.