OPINION | Anwar’s Leap of Faith: To Win GE16, He Should Sacrifice Johor and Negeri Sembilan

Opinion
16 Jun 2026 • 7:30 PM MYT
TheRealNehruism
TheRealNehruism

An award-winning Newswav creator, Bebas News columnist & ex-FMT columnist.

Image from: OPINION | Anwar’s Leap of Faith: To Win GE16, He Should Sacrifice Johor and Negeri Sembilan
Image credit: Malaysian Reserve

To win a war, sometimes you have to lose a battle.

Following this theory, I am of the view that the only way that Anwar can win in GE16, is if he facilitates his own defeat in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections.

How must he facilitate his own defeat?

He must facilitate his defeat in such a way that Umno and DAP both suffer significant losses in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, to the point that PAS-PN emerges the biggest winner in these state elections.

If Johor and Negeri Sembilan completely falls in the hand of PAS- PN, it would be even better for him.

How will Johor completely falling in the hands of PAS- PN favour Anwar?

It will favour Anwar, because it might stop the infighting between DAP and Umno, cause disillusioned PH supporters to rally once again behind him and stop making voters crave to see him bite the dust.

It will also cause the competitors to PH, especially Rafizi's Bersama, to appear as side shows and lose their appeal.

It will also cause those within his own camp, like the PKR MPs who are contemplating switching sides to other parties, or UMNO and DAP leaders who are subtly undermining him, to change their mind and stand more solidly behind him.

But won't Anwar facilitating the defeat of his own camp to PAS-PN give him a bad image ?

Only if he actively sabotages his own side and openly supports PAS-PN. If he passively does so, then it won't give him a bad image.

What is the passive way that he can facilitate the loss of his own camp?

He can do so by simply doing nothing.

He should not campaign with strength for PH in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections.

He shouldn't rally the troops in these state by-elections.

He should focus more on highlighting PH's past achievement than future aspirations to make it appear like their glory days are over.

He should also accept the offensives by PAS-PN without offering strong counteroffensive.

He should let DAP and Umno in Johor and Negeri Sembilan do everything by themselves.

What else should he do ?

He should also announce when GE16 is going to be held. The more he keeps the date of the GE16 close to his chest, the more he looks like he is trying to win. The more he looks like he is trying to win, the more he is causing the craving to see him bite the dust to grow in the hearts and mind of voters.

So instead of keeping the date of the snap elections close to his chest, he should just announce it.

He should announce it now itself that he just needs one or two more months more to do one or two more things, and as soon as it is done, he is going to announce the date of GE16.

If he does that, it will make it seem like he just wants to tie a few last loose ends, before he throws in the towel.

If it looks like he is ready to throw in the towel, and at the same time, PH and Umno loses significantly or thoroughly in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan, it will make voters stop craving to see him bite the dust, while the realization of what future they will have have to face without him will start to sink into their mind.

It is when voters truly start imagining how it will be if he is truly gone, that the Sign of Victory he is waiting for, will appear to him.

But if he looks like he is ready to throw in the towel and if PAS-PN wins in Johor or Negeri Sembilan, won't it cause PH to lose momentum and cause PAS-PN to gain momentum, to the point that PAS-PN will win indeed win GE 16 too.

That is indeed possible, but that doesn't change the fact that it is still Anwar's only good option left.

All other options that Anwar has leads to his defeat.

It is only this option, as risky as it is, that gives him a chance of final victory.

In other words, Anwar must take a Leap of Faith.

As long as he tries to control everything, only the pathway to defeat will appear in his eyes. It is only a Leap of Faith that will open his eyes to the light at the end of the tunnel.

So right now, what Anwar needs to do, is stop thinking that must hold out on announcing GE16's date until he sees the Sign of Victory, and start believing that it is only after he stops trying to control everything, that the Sign of Victory will appear to him.

Let us see how the cookies crumble.


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