THIS year’s theme “Malaysia Madani: Tekad Perpaduan, Penuhi Harapan” is appropriate in the stormy present. It is the government’s determination and commitment to develop the country and unite the people. The word “unity” has appeared numerous times in Merdeka themes.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post in 2016 titled “My plea from prison: Malaysia must choose freedom over repression”. He described an “unprecedented existential threat to Malaysia’s democracy and stability” and possible implosion from “grand corruption and different religious and ethnic groups being pitted against each other fighting for limited resources”.

Dubbed the “Malaysian Nelson Mandela” (both were imprisoned for their politics), such reductions did little service for him. In the 1990s. Mandela was a true statesman who said: “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”

Perhaps the position Anwar is in is more akin to that of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was selected after much debate when no candidate secured a clear majority. He had to assemble a coalition from rivals to get through the most perilous of times.

Anwar shares Lincoln’s other qualities, too, like having little patience for pettiness and having to extend friendship to sworn rivals.

Here are a few quotes from Lincoln that may help Anwar get Malaysia out of this perilous period.

1. The struggle of today is not altogether for today – it is for a vast future also.

2. While we must, by all available means, prevent the overthrow of the government, we should avoid planting and cultivating too many thorns in the bosom of society.

3. The legitimate object of government is to do for the people what needs to be done, but which they cannot, by individual effort, do at all, or do so well, for themselves.

4. When the white man governs himself, that is self-government; but when he governs himself and also governs another man, that is more than self-government – that is despotism.

5. The people will save their government, if the government itself will do its part only indifferently well.

6. It is as much the duty of the government to render prompt justice against itself, in favour of citizens, as it is to administer the same between private individuals.

7. It has long been a grave question whether any government, not too strong for the liberties of its people, can be strong enough to maintain its own existence in great emergencies.

8. Important principles may and must be inflexible.

9. Our government rests in public opinion. Whoever can change public opinion, can change the government, practically just so much.

10. If a man says he knows a thing, then he must show how he knows it.

11. Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

12. Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?

13. You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.

The “harapan” now is for Anwar to unite all Malaysians to live in peace and prosperity and leave a legacy of ideals, principles and values. 

Remain true to your principles, Anwar, and catalyse the push for the successful implementation of sound policies, as actions speak louder than words. – August 27, 2023.

* Saleh Mohammed reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.