KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 — Today marks the first anniversary of his appointment as the country’s 10th Prime Minister and leading the Unity Government, and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has set a new leadership benchmark of outstanding leaders amid political and economic challenges.
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu deputy vice-chancellor for student affairs and alumni Prof Mohd Izani Mohd Zain said Anwar’s experiences since leading the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM) in the 1970s have 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.
“Other ministers should emulate the benchmark set by the Prime Minister,” he said during Bernama TV’s special programme on “PMX One Year Anniversary” today.
Izani added that the good relations established between Anwar and foreign leaders before he even assumed the role of Prime Minister have helped him continue efforts in bilateral cooperation, further strengthening Malaysia’s position in international relations and diplomacy.
Regarding the Palestinian issue, Anwar’s relationships with foreign leaders had also helped him to boldly voice 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 November 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 of the new Cabinet.
Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi MARA’s (UiTM) Communication and Media Studies Faculty’s liberal communication senior lecturer Abdul Aziz Azizam said Anwar faces a challenging task after his appointment, 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 is 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 current administration’s direction,” he said.
In the economic aspect, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist cum social economics and finance head Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said one of the significant achievements brought by the Prime Minister includes maintaining the country’s economic resilience and competitiveness despite the challenging and unprecedented global economic landscape.
This is evident as the economic growth rate remains positive, recording 3.3 per cent in the third quarter of this year, despite various narratives of changes in the global economic landscape and the government’s challenges in 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, which is evident as the country’s unemployment rate continues to decline.
Afzanizam said the presentation of several important documents, including the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030, to provide a narrative about the country’s economic direction, also demonstrates the government’s commitment to adapting to the current economic landscape changes.
This includes considering the current climate change to plan for a more sustainable economic plan, for which various targets have been set to be achieved.
“So, armed with these documents, I think investors can see the level of seriousness of the government in managing the country’s economy. That is from the investor’s perspective, but now what is also more important is the relationship or communication between the government and the people,” he said.
— Bernama
