Zaid urges KJ to take bolder risks, drawing lessons from Anwar

savemalaysia

Publish date: Wed, 11 Sep 2024, 03:02 PM

FORMER law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has offered advice to former UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, urging him to adopt a more daring approach if he aspires to become Malaysia’s prime minister. Zaid suggested that Khairy’s current cautious stance might hinder his long-term ambitions.

“He has the good looks, is enormously popular with women voters, and has the money to take on the top leaders in UMNO. He just needs to be less constrained by the immediate cost-benefit analysis,” Zaid noted in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“Take some high-grade risks for a longer-term reward.”

Zaid contrasted Khairy’s approach with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent bold decision to strengthen ties with Russia and pursue Malaysia’s membership in the BRICS bloc. Zaid lauded Anwar’s move as part of a larger strategy to position himself as a global Muslim leader.

On the other hand, Khairy has voiced concerns about the potential fallout of this diplomatic shift, particularly its impact on Malaysia’s relationship with the US.

Speaking on his podcast Keluar Sekejap, Khairy highlighted the modest trade volume between Malaysia and Russia, around RM14 bil, compared to much larger trade ties with China, questioning the risks of straining relations with the US.

“KJ is an astute politician who prioritises cost-benefit analysis, and by that measure, Anwar’s move may seem unwise and risky,” Zaid commented.

Nonetheless, Zaid encouraged Khairy to consider broader, long-term goals over short-term calculations.

Moreover, Zaid suggested that Anwar’s vision extends far beyond leading Malaysia, with the PM aspiring to become a prominent figure on the global stage particularly within the Muslim world.

“Anwar sees himself as a global leader of the Muslim world. For him, leading Malaysia is just the first step in his larger quest,” Zaid explained, adding that Anwar understands the need to align with powers such as China and Russia to counterbalance the influence of the US.

Furthermore, Zaid pointed to historical examples of Muslim leaders who faced challenges from the US including former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. He suggested that Anwar is aware of these risks but believes they are necessary to achieve his larger geopolitical ambitions.

“Anwar knows that offending America is not difficult, as seen in the cases of (former Libya leader Muammar) Gaddafi, (former Iraqi president) Saddam Hussein, and (former Pakistani PM) Imran Khan.”

Anwar recently completed a two-day visit to Vladivostok, Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin to discuss collaborations in aerospace and advanced technologies.

During the visit, Anwar accepted an invitation to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, scheduled for Oct 22-24. Malaysia had applied to join the BRICS bloc of emerging economies in July.

Zaid’s remarks reflect his belief that Khairy, while a capable politician needs to take greater strategic risks if he hopes to reach the heights Anwar has achieved. – Sept 11, 2024

https://focusmalaysia.my/zaid-urges-kj-to-take-bolder-risks-drawing-lessons-from-anwar/

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