Family of SM Mohamed Idris protests Anwar’s presence at book launch amid Yusoff Rawther case
Ayisha, Fathima and Khatija said their objections were completely ignored and that Anwar was still celebrated and given a central role as the event’s officiator.
SHAH ALAM – The children of prominent activist SM Mohamed Idris have objected to and do not approve of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s involvement in the launch of a commemorative book about their late father in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
In a joint statement, Idris’ children - Ayisha, Fathima and Khatija - said their objections were completely ignored and that Anwar was still celebrated and given a central role as the event’s officiator.
They said the family had never consented to Anwar writing a foreword or being involved in any capacity related to the book, given the misconduct case involving the late Idris’ grandson, Muhammed Yusoff Rawther.
“The late SM Mohamed Idris never sought publicity, praise or recognition. He did not rely on political power to legitimise his struggles.
“Throughout his life, he stayed away from public platforms, titles and self-interest. Consumers Association of Penang (CAP)’s actions today represent a clear deviation from these principles, exploiting the name and legacy of a principled figure for institutional and contemporary political interests.
“This is not an honour, but a hijacking of our father’s legacy,” they said on Tuesday.
The statement added that they were further disappointed to see promotional posters for the event featuring government and national initiative logos such as ‘Malaysia Madani’, ‘Asean Malaysia 2025’, and ‘Visit Malaysia 2026’.
They said CAP’s move to associate Idris’ legacy with unrelated government agendas was inappropriate.
“Our late father was never associated with these initiatives or organisations. The use of these logos clearly constitutes commodification and exploitation of his name and contributions to bolster Anwar’s political image.
“This disgraceful method of gaining political mileage is deeply reprehensible, as it creates a false impression that our late father’s legacy supports or aligns with current initiatives that have nothing to do with him,” they said.
They added that the organisers had not only failed to respect the sensitivities of Idris’ heirs, but had also chosen to ignore the injustice their family is currently facing.
“If CAP genuinely still upholds the principles of justice championed by one of its founders, it must stand firm on those principles, not support an individual who has attacked our family member and is now delaying the ongoing legal process.
“CAP’s failure to do so will confirm that the organisation has strayed far from its original principles and that Mohamed Idris’ legacy is now being exploited for political interests rather than justice,” they said.
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