Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim shared a personal story during his second visit to India as prime minister, telling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that politicians rarely honour the promises they make. Speaking in an interview to Thanthi TV, Anwar admitted that even he had once broken that unwritten rule, taking as long as 40 years to finally keep a promise of his own.
Anwar made the remarks as part of a wide ranging interview that also touched on India-Malaysia relations, his admiration for Tamil Nadu, and his interactions with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay.
Malaysian PM's wedding day promise
Anwar said he had promised his wife on the day they got married that he would take her to see the Taj Mahal. He said it took him 40 years to fulfil that promise. "I told many colleagues here including Prime Minister Modi, I said politicians don't normally honour their commitments and promise. But I said so I promised my wife when we got married, by that time 40 years, to say I'll bring you to see Taj Mahal," Anwar said.
He added that the visit finally happened only decades later. "I didn't make it until the 40th year. So I told my missus, look, I'm not a bad politician. I still honour my promise although it's 40 years later," Anwar said.
Anwar also spoke about his wife's role during his years in prison. "She deserves that and I must say she's a very graceful person, how she held the fort when you were in prison," he said, describing her as "soft but strong."
On chief minister Vijay
Anwar was asked about being one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, and for invoking the slogan Orural Purachi while doing so. Anwar said he has friends in both Tamil Nadu and Malaysia who follow Tamil Nadu politics closely. "Many of them follow Tamil Nadu politics more than Delhi politics, doesn't matter, so is Vijay," he said.
Anwar described Vijay as a young leader with fast track growth. He said he had spoken to Vijay about the difference between the challenges of contesting elections and the challenges of governing. "I always told him that the challenge is when you are here in power, to have the wisdom to navigate, because in the real world the battle is a bit different from what you aim to do, from my limited experience," Anwar said.
Anwar said he sent Vijay a copy of his book and was looking forward to receiving a signed copy in return. He described his conversation with Vijay as "very very good," adding that he was "deeply touched" that Vijay appeared to follow his own record on political reform. "He seems to also follow and sense that my zeal for reform, clean up the mess and politically show poverty and black poverty and corruption in the system," Anwar said.
Anwar also spoke about Vijay's popularity among Malaysia's ethnic Tamil population, noting that Vijay's final film's audio launch drew a large crowd in Kuala Lumpur. "It's helped immensely because as you know the majority of the ethnic Indians are Tamilians and they follow politics of Tamil Nadu closely," Anwar said, adding that many of them have a strong affinity for Vijay.
Wider interview
The interview also covered Anwar's personal connection to India, including his references to Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sri Aurobindo, as well as his fondness for actor and former Tamil Nadu chief minister MGR. Anwar spoke about India-Malaysia trade and investment ties, Malaysia's interest in BRICS, and his views on the conflict in West Asia.
