Opinion | Anwar Ibrahim’s prophecy of power could come true at last. But for Malaysia, it might be better if it didn’t
- As the Malaysian democracy icon prepares to meet the country’s king on Tuesday, anticipation is growing that he might finally become PM
- History shows such an upset is possible, yet the compromises it would involve could dash any hopes of democratic reform and cause inequalities to stagnate
Self-fulfilling prophecies occur when something happens because one said it would, whereas their inverse – self-negating prophecies – are the polar opposite. Both are well-documented phenomena, and serve to show the power that imagination has to shape the world we live in, as it is the claim itself that alters reality, creating the context needed for the prophecy to happen.
Politicians everywhere depend on these sorts of phenomena to some degree, but they are particularly apparent in Malaysian politics, with Anwar giving us a brilliant demonstration.
Count and recount as many times as you like, Anwar does not have “the numbers” in parliament – his loyal coalition supporters like the Democratic Action Party and Amanah have been staying at a safe distance, since he apparently did not consult with them nor reveal to them his plans.
