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By Mihar Dias November 2024
In an unexpected twist, Latheefa Koya, former head of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), has cast her judgment on Malaysia’s leadership today, holding up Najib Razak, surprisingly, as a greater reformer than Anwar Ibrahim.
Though Najib’s legacy is marred by the 1MDB scandal, Latheefa points out his willingness to repeal the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and introduce the Peaceful Assembly Act, which allowed Malaysians to demonstrate without needing a police permit.
By contrast, Latheefa argues, Anwar Ibrahim—a leader whose rallying cry of “reformasi” once inspired hope—seems to have abandoned the very reforms he once promised.
For Malaysians, her observations should spark deep reflection on what “reform” really means in practice.
Najib, for all his faults, enacted legislative changes that widened Malaysia’s democratic space. The Peaceful Assembly Act represented a step towards transparency and freedom of expression, while the repeal of the ISA showed a willingness to dismantle oppressive mechanisms. It wasn’t lost on Latheefa that Najib never championed “reformasi” in his speeches, yet he delivered change without slogans or fanfare.
Latheefa’s critique of the current government exposes a larger pattern—what happens when reformist rhetoric meets political pragmatism.
She suggests that Anwar’s unity government has instead tightened its grip on dissent, using the Sedition Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act as blunt tools against critics.
Under Anwar’s leadership, the government has even introduced informal legal codes such as the “3R” (race, royalty, and religion) framework, criminalising discussions that challenge these concepts.
For those who once had faith in Anwar’s promise of reform, the recent wave of arrests and police investigations has raised questions about whether this government has truly abandoned the authoritarian impulses it once condemned.
The stakes of Latheefa’s critique go beyond individual leaders, touching on a deeper and more troubling question: Is it possible that Najib’s years in power—with all their inherent contradictions—represented a more genuine era of reform than the current administration?
Latheefa’s “minus 10” score for Anwar’s legal reforms captures the public disillusionment with a leader whose promises, it seems, have only led to regressive policies.
For many Malaysians, it is a stark reminder that populist slogans and promises of change must be measured against actual policy.
Malaysians deserve leaders who prioritise reforms not only when convenient but as part of a genuine commitment to democracy.
Latheefa’s observations, though controversial, call for a clear-eyed assessment of who is truly advancing the nation’s democratic values.
As the unity government faces mounting criticism, it must decide if it will remain true to the reformist ideals that brought it to power or succumb to the very authoritarianism it once opposed.
Latheefa’s words are a timely wake-up call for the public to demand accountability—not just from the opposition but from those who have used the language of reform as a tool to consolidate power.
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