Anwar's year in power: Maintaining political stability amid challenges

SHAH ALAM - On Nov 24, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim marked a year as Prime Minister, navigating a complex and unprecedented situation to form the Unity Government, a coalition of various parties with diverse ideologies.

During his first year in office, Anwar faced a multitude of challenges, including revitalising the economy post-Covid-19, managing high national debt, and navigating a sluggish global economy.

Additionally, he had to foster cooperation among parties to achieve political stability and effective governance.

Despite the diverse political landscape, the Unity Government preserved the essence of political stability, typically achieved through a grand coalition representing various races and regions.

However, this grand coalition's success hinges on the willingness of all parties to compromise and adhere to agreed-upon principles.

Anwar's leadership in the Unity Government stands out in contrast to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration, which, despite securing a majority of Malay votes, lacked support from non-Malays and the Sabah-Sarawak bloc.

PN's perceived extremism and deviation from the grand coalition image further hindered its ability to form a stable government.

Obtaining a majority is not enough to guarantee political stability.

The Pakatan Harapan (PH) government and the subsequent PN-BN government are testaments to this, as both experienced political turmoil despite having a majority due to ineffective leadership and party hopping.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the government and the Opposition, followed by the Anti-Party Hopping Act, provided a temporary period of stability.

Therefore, Anwar's greatest achievement in his first year as Prime Minister was maintaining political stability.

Two key factors contributed to this achievement:

The willingness of all components in the Madani Government to compromise and cooperate.

Anwar's leadership, which has gained trust and support from both parties and civil servants.

If these factors remain stable, the Madani Government can focus on reform agendas and improving socio-economic conditions, particularly those affecting the people's livelihoods.

However, the Madani Government's weakness lies in its weak perception management.

Public dissatisfaction with the government is evident, and there is ample room for improvement.

The government needs to address these concerns more effectively and promptly.

While a year is a short period to measure achievements, the government has made positive strides, including the Payung Rahmah initiative.

However, ineffective communication has hindered the public's perception of these efforts.

Consequently, despite their hard work and efforts to address existing gaps, research bodies have found the government's and Anwar's popularity to be moderate.

The Madani Government is not a one-man show.

Success in reducing inflation and unemployment rates, increasing investments, and restoring the country's influence on the Palestinian issue requires rapid and effective communication.