KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24: As today marks the first anniversary of his appointment as the country’s 10th Prime Minister and head of the Unity Government, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has set a new benchmark of outstanding leadership amid various political and economic challenges.
Deputy vice-chancellor for Student Affairs and Alumni at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) Prof Dr Mohd Izani Mohd Zain said Anwar’s experiences since he led the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM) in the 1970s had shaped his character as the country’s top leader.
“He even went down to universities to meet the students through his ‘Temu Anwar’ programme.
“I think this is a good (leadership) benchmark for ministers and political leaders because they are not only holding office and making policies but should also go to the ground and see for themselves the reality of our society.
“The benchmark set by the Prime Minister should be emulated by other ministers,” he said in Bernama TV’s special programme on “PMX One Year Anniversary,” today.
The political analyst also said that the good relations established between Anwar and foreign leaders before he even assumed the role of Prime Minister had helped him to his continue efforts in bilateral cooperation, thereby further strengthening Malaysia’s position in the international arena.
Regarding the Palestinian issue, Mohd Izani said Anwar’s relationships with foreign leaders had also helped him to boldly voice out Malaysia’s stance on the international stage, including at the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in the United States and the Extraordinary Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Saudi Arabia recently.
Anwar took his oath of office on Nov 24, 2022, five days after the country’s 15th General Election. He then formed a Unity Government and appointed two deputy prime ministers and 28 members for the new Cabinet.
Meanwhile, a senior lecturer in Liberal Communication at the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Dr Abdul Aziz Azizam said Anwar had faced a very difficult period immediately after his appointment as prime minister, especially in uniting various political parties in the country with different principles while steering the “government ship”.
“I think he has succeeded in creating a stable government within these 12 months.
“The noise of democracy and differences of opinion are normal in democratic governance. At the same time, that is what gives strength to the government when it can handle differences of opinion and clarify the direction of the current administration,” said the political analyst.
As for the economy, the Chief Economist and Head of Social Economics and Finance at Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd, Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, said one of the significant achievements of the prime minister would be his stewardship of the country’s economic resilience and competitiveness despite the challenging global economic landscape.
He said this was evident as the country’s economic growth rate remained positive, recording 3.3 per cent in Q3 2023 despite various changes in the global economic scenario and the challenges that the government had to face while administering the country.
“So, I think this is something we can celebrate because positive economic growth is important. When the economy grows in a positive momentum, it means our economy can create jobs and this is evident as the country’s unemployment rate continues to be on the decline,” he said.
Mohd Afzanizam said the unveiling of several important strategies, including the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 to provide a new narrative for the country’s economic direction, had demonstrated the government’s commitment to be adaptable to changes.
They also include taking into account the current climate change to plan for a more sustainable economic plan for which various targets had been set.
“So, armed with these strategies, I think investors can see the level of seriousness of the government in managing the country’s economy. That’s from the investor’s perspective. What is more important now is (forging a) relationship or communication between the government and the people,” he said.
— BERNAMA