THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER | February 12, 2015
He founded a predominantly Malay but multiracial party, obtaining a place in the political landscape and filling the space left by Datuk Seri Onn Jaafar's Independence of Malaya Party (IMP) 60 years ago.
He led the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and achieved what Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had failed to do more than 20 years ago.
Anwar's political achievements have been established. But another perspective shows failure and regrets.
He founded PKR, which has unlimited potential. But, the political culture of the party is not sound, limited by problems such as power and interest struggles among families and cronies. For example, the "Kajang move".
Anwar drives Pakatan Rakyat and is well-supported. It shows a model of an alternative government. But the ideological differences among the three component parties are so huge and each of them is worried that the power of the others might expand. They point out each other's weaknesses, and even openly confront each other.
Pakatan Rakyat has rapidly frozen today, and its future uncertain.
Anwar must bear responsibility for the party's problems. If he did not put the party beneath himself, but strengthened the promotion of the party's pluralism and democratic ideology, enhanced the leadership's unity and consensus, reduced crowding out practices among leaders, resolved factional conflicts, as well as decentralised and distributed leadership power – PKR might have a greater performance.
Anwar is also responsible for PR's problems. As an alternative coalition with such a strong support base and so many lawmakers, PR should play a more active and constructive role. But its negative and passive attitude made its performance unsatisfactory.
As for the party's infighting, Anwar also seems helpless. Even the ulama faction of PAS has accused Anwar of causing the party's conflicts.
From these perspectives, his imprisonment this time is, of course, unfortunate and worthy of compassion.
But his imprisonment would not have much impact on PKR and Pakatan.
What Anwar can do, he has done it over the past 20 years. As for what he cannot do, he has proven that he is not able to do them.
PKR and Pakatan Rakyat have entered an era without Anwar. It is neither a good thing nor a bad thing.
The point here is, they can no longer live in the shadow of Anwar and repeat his style. Instead, new leaders, new styles and new forms are required to face new changes and environment.
Maintaining Anwar's political legacy, making breakthrough to Anwar's limitations and completing Anwar's unfinished work are the future of PKR as well as Pakatan Rakyat.