PETALING JAYA – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s performance in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour has received plaudits from analysts, who commended his adept handling of key issues.
Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, offered a holistic perspective, stating that Anwar responded effectively to various topics raised by Amanpour. He noted that while the interview may not have a significant impact on the international stage, it likely left a positive impression on the domestic audience.
“The impact will be more pronounced in domestic politics rather than on the international stage,” he told Scoop.
“Making an international impact is challenging for any prime minister, including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. However, domestically, I believe the majority of us are satisfied with how Anwar handled Amanpour’s ‘aggressive’ interview.”
Azmi praised Anwar’s responses concerning the Swatch Pride watch bans and Malaysia’s bilateral relationship with China and the United States.
However, he pointed out that Anwar fell into Amanpour’s “trap” when addressing Premier Li Qiang’s statement on the dispute, as the question appeared designed to provoke a reaction.
Azmi suggested that Anwar could have framed his response by highlighting that the South China Sea dispute is not a new challenge for Malaysia.
“In that context, I hoped Anwar had answered in those terms because the question was meant to provoke us, even though the dispute is nothing new, and we are not taking sides,” he explained.
Similarly, K.S. Balakrishnan commended Anwar for addressing all key issues with intelligence and providing valid points regarding the need for the United States to take a more proactive role in maintaining its bilateral relationship with Malaysia.
“Anwar is excellent at promoting Malaysia’s interests globally, especially with the US,” noted the senior academic from Universiti Malaya.
During his interview with Amanpour on CNN, Anwar dismissed criticism of his handling of various internal affairs, emphasising that his decisions were in accordance with the country’s laws.
He expressed similar sentiments when discussing his deputy, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s conditional discharge, and the ban on Swatch’s Pride collection watches featuring LGBTQ+ elements.
Nevertheless, the Tambun MP stressed that the action against the watch bans should not lead to the harassment of the LGBTQ+ community, even though public acceptance of it remains low.
It is worth noting that Anwar had previously been interviewed by Amanpour in 2014 when he was the opposition leader. He was interviewed once again in May 2018, following his royal pardon.
Senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Oh Ei Sun, said Anwar is a seasoned international interviewee, having been extensively interviewed since the 1970s, and so this interview “was just another piece of cake for him”.
“As usual, he was able to at once employ his vast command of vocabulary to tackle the tough questions, and turn them into something positive for his positions,” he said.
“It could only be said that he gave smart answers which sounded at once palatable and fashionable, such as the emphasis on democracy, or moderation.”
On whether he believes responses affected Malaysia’s international and domestic reputation, Oh said: “it certainly reinforced his already formidable international reputation, but they may not be conservative enough for the increasing number of religiously oriented domestic audiences.”
“The comparable PMs to Anwar in recent years are Mahathir and Najib, who could also handle international audiences well. So Anwar’s eloquence demonstrated the continuity in Malaysia’s international activism,” he said. – September 24, 2023