Malaysian lawyers’ march a marker of falling public trust in Anwar

Scrolling through TikTok one evening, I came across a short clip of American comedian Ron Funches asking an audience member why they believed the government had a perfect track record.

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“Our government is placed in charge of all of its people. I’m a father placed in charge of just one son. And I lie to that … all the time,” he said, using a term from African-American vernacular that he can say but I cannot.

Funches’ delivery was biting, but his point resonated – particularly for those of us in Malaysia today.

Midway through Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s first term, his government is confronting a crisis of confidence, steeped in a succession of controversies and unpopular policies that the public and critics say are inconsistent with the leader’s earlier promises of reform and lower living costs.

PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar (centre) joins the Malaysian Bar march for judicial independence on Monday. Photo: X/n_izzah
PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar (centre) joins the Malaysian Bar march for judicial independence on Monday. Photo: X/n_izzah

The latest issue to capture the public’s attention is the alleged interference by the executive arm of government in the appointment of senior judges, which triggered a march by the country’s lawyers on Monday.

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