In a recent blog post dated July 2025, former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad raised a series of pointed concerns regarding Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s legitimacy, the validity of his royal pardon, and the erosion of public trust in his leadership.
Mahathir stated that a significant section of the public in Alor Setar has begun to voice calls for Anwar to step down from office. According to him, Anwar did not originally secure a mandate from the electorate to become Prime Minister, as he had lost the general election. However, he noted that by aligning with another party that had also failed to gain majority support, Anwar managed to secure enough parliamentary backing to form a government.
The blog post further revisits the contentious issue of Anwar’s royal pardon, granted during Mahathir's second term as Prime Minister. Mahathir explained that he followed the proper procedure in granting the pardon at the time. However, he acknowledged that the pardon’s validity has since come under scrutiny, suggesting that legal ambiguities remain unresolved. This has led to fresh debates over Anwar’s eligibility to even contest in a general election.
Beyond legal technicalities, Mahathir also cast doubt on Anwar’s credibility as a national leader. He accused the Prime Minister of repeatedly misleading the public and suggested that his frequent contradictions have become a source of public ridicule. According to Mahathir, the initial promise of “Reformasi” — once a symbol of hope and political change — has deteriorated into what many now perceive as empty rhetoric.
In his critique, Mahathir went on to allege that Anwar’s administration now openly exhibits elements of nepotism and cronyism, contradicting the very values he once claimed to fight against. He contrasted this with past accusations Anwar made toward him, implying that Anwar is now committing the same acts he once condemned — only this time, with tangible evidence.
Mahathir concluded by asserting that Malaysians have the right to demand clarity on these issues, particularly concerning the legitimacy of the pardon and the transparency of the current leadership.
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