Dr Mahathir And Anwar Shake Hands For The First Time In 18 Years
"It feels like the 90s again."
By Tang Ruxyn — 06 Sep 2016, 11:02 AM
Malaysians seem to be in a disbelief over an unexpected meeting between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday, 5 September
Dr Mahathir had made a surprise visit to the High Court and shook hands with the jailed de facto leader of the opposition alliance
It was reported that Dr Mahathir turned up at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in Jalan Duta to attend the hearing of an application filed by Anwar to challenge the controversial National Security Council (NSC) Act 2016.
This was apparently the first time the two men have met since 3 September 1998, according to a Facebook post by Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Anwar's wife.
It was a momentous occasion as for the first time in 18 years, Dr Mahathir and his former protégé-turned-political nemesis seemed to have make peace with each other
In 1998, Dr Mahathir who was prime minister then, stripped his deputy, Anwar, from the government and as the UMNO deputy president for alleged sexual misconduct.
Following the dismissal, Anwar was charged with sodomy and corruption, and imprisoned for six years. He condemned the conviction as false and politically motivated.
After his release, Anwar reemerged in the political scene and formed the strongest opposition Malaysia ever saw until he was jailed again in by current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's government last year.
After nearly two decades of bitter feud, the Dr Mahathir-Anwar handshake is considered to be a significant mark that signals an end to their grudges and an acknowledgement of a common enemy. Despite their political differences, in recent times, the duo have sent out a clear message and have a shared agenda, which is to oust Najib over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal.
Local netizens were quick to respond to the surprising news
Achieved one of my life goals today,
— teme Abdullah™ (@itsteme) September 5, 2016
= to see Tun M & DS Anwar Ibrahim bersalaman & senyum. pic.twitter.com/bTzUjhApfk
To those still hung over their exes, look at Anwar and Mahathir, reuniting after 18 years.
— Faizal Hamssin (@faizalhamssin) September 5, 2016
There's still hope for you all.
Pokemon, blink 182 new album, Butterfingers reunion and now Tun M-Anwar reunion.
— z u l f o® (@thezulfo) September 5, 2016
It feels like the 90s again. pic.twitter.com/5OITzAw1gh
While Malaysians have been buzzing with excitement over the incident, Dr Mahathir has clarified that his unscheduled visit was only a show of support for Anwar's attempt to prevent the NSC Act from being enforced in the country
"I don’t know about friend, but I talked to him," he said when asked if the two were now friends.
"I'm interested in his case. This is about the national security council," he added.
He added that he spoke to Anwar at length about the NSC Act and was supportive of the latter’s attempt to prevent its enforcement in Malaysia.
"As you know I’ve written on my blog and he’s doing the same thing trying to stop it. So I met him, had a long chat with him about this thing," he said.
themalaymailonline.com
Meanwhile, Anwar said that he was "touched" by Dr Mahathir's support
"He is hoping for my success and I am touched by his attitude," he reportedly told the press outside the Jalan Duta court yesterday, 5 September.
The former Opposition leader also revealed that Dr Mahathir had extended his best wishes and hoped that the suit against the government will be successful.
According to media reports, Anwar stressed that it was not a matter of trust with Mahathir when he was asked to comment if he trusted the former premier.
"Anyone who supports the reform agenda must be given a chance," he quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today.
He added that Dr Mahathir's presence in the court is an indication that he supported the reform agenda.
Do you think that Dr Mahathir and Anwar will be a team in the near future? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.