Anwar and JFK: Idealists without illusions

John F Kennedy
(1917-1963)

"I cannot single out any one day as the time I began to understand John Kennedy as a human being. gradually I discovered that the simplicity of this man's tastes and demeanour was, while genuine, deceptive as well as disarming. Although he possessed unusual empathy, and a remarkable sense of what was fitting and appropriate for every kind of of occasion, he never put on an act, feigning anger or joy when he did not feel it. Nevertheless his hidden qualities outnumbered the apparent. ...with all his ordinary ways, (he) was an enormously complex and extraordinarily competent man.

I came to marvel at his ability to look at his own strengths and weaknesses with utter detachment, his candid and objective responses to public questions, and his insistence on cutting through prevailing bias and myths to the heart of the problem. He had a disciplined and analytical mind. Even his instincts, which were sound, came from his reason rather than his hunches. He hated no enemy, he wept at no adversity.

But I also learned in time that this cool, analytical mind was stimulated by a warm, compassionate heart. Beneath the careful pragmatic approach lay increasingly deep convictions on basic goals and unusual determination to achieve them."

"As John Buchan wrote of a friend in John Kennedy's favourite book, Pilgrim's Way, "He disliked emotion, not because he felt lightly but because he felt deeply. " John Kennedy could always look at himself objectively and laugh at himself wholeheartedly - and those two rare gifts enabled him to talk lightly while feeling deeply. As he said himself about Robert Frost, "His sense of the human tragedy fortified him against self-deception and easy consolation."

Extracted from Theodore C. Sorensen, KENNEDY (1965)

I don't know Anwar, the man. But at some level, to use John Kennedy's words, he is clearly an idealist without illusions. From where many Malaysians stand, that is far better than the group of politicians running the country at the present time.

Some may be apprehensive about his past politics. But, to his credit, Anwar has acknowledged his past. He has not denied it nor has he attempted to spin it any differently. That is what it is, his past. To hold his past against him would be to deny ourselves a possible and, alternative future trajectory.

What makes the possible alternative future trajectory for Malaysia very compelling is what we are witnessing in the present Malaysia.

If March 8 was a tilting point, then the tipping point may well be the usage of the ISA against RPK, Teresa Kok and Tan Hoon Cheng. Let us not forget the HINDRAF leaders and other ISA detainees. The ISA, as many have reiterated, is an anti-terrorism law crafted at a time when communism was still a threat to Malaysia. Seen from this perspective, how it can even be used against Tan Hoon Cheng, a journalist who was doing her job of reporting the truth, completely beggars belief. To many Malaysians, this single act by the government of the day, is a window into the current future trajectory of Malaysia.

As Malaysians were digesting this indigestible future, we were treated to an ominous reminder of the past and, bleak future by Dr M who wrote this dubious piece. Coming from the ex-PM who had a vision of Bangsa Malaysia and, the man who is going to return to UMNO, many Malaysian hearts have been broken by Dr M's blog article.

That is why now, more so than ever, many Malaysians cling to the alternative vision of the future offered by Anwar Ibrahim. His many detractors question his sincerity. Others, like me, being less sanguine about the future of Malaysia offered by the current government (or Dr M) prefer to give Anwar the benefit of doubt. Anwar, being a man of intelligence, has shown that he has the capacity for learning from bitter experience. The same cannot be said of the politicians running the current government.

This man has been an outsider twice in a three-act dramatic play. In Act I, as an outsider, he was the student leader who became the ABIM leader that led a rainbow coalition of many Malaysian clubs and societies against the Societies Bill in 1981. Act II was his insider UMNO phase.

This is Act III. He is an outsider again, together with the rest of us.
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LATEST UPDATE:

Anwar claims more than 31 MPs will cross over to Pakatan

The Star Online reports at 3.20 pm Sept 16, that, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has claimed that more than 31 Barisan MPs have agreed to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat.

He, however, refused to reveal the names of the 31 MPs.

Anwar told a press conference at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday that he would give the list of the names to the Prime Minister, when he meets him.

The Permatang Pauh MP also claimed that the transition to the new Government has been delayed a few days pending the meeting with Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition.

He said it was up to Abdullah to agree to the meeting and its date.

Anwar said that in a letter submitted to Abdullah on Monday, Pakatan had made four demands to ensure a smooth transition:

1) That Barisan does not hinder or prevent the MPs from acting in accordance with their conscience, constitutional rights and independentjudgement;

2) That the Barisan government should not invoke the Internal Security Act to detain the MPs or any other current Pakatan MPs;

3) That the Barisan government does not invoke emergency laws or police powers or suspend the Constitution or dissolve Parliament; and

4) That the Barisan government shall not impose roadblocks or impede MPs from going to Parliament or any institution of government.