“We were wrong about Anwar” – viral commentary urges Malaysians to reassess PM’S record

KUALA LUMPUR — A widely circulated social media commentary has attracted attention for urging Malaysians, particularly the Chinese community, to reassess their perception of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after more than three years in office.

The commentary argues that some Malaysians may have focused too heavily on the slow pace of reforms and certain unpopular policies while overlooking the political and economic challenges confronting Anwar’s administration.

It points to the complexities of managing a coalition government, global inflation, rising living costs and the need to maintain political stability as factors shaping the administration’s decisions.

“We kept criticising him over small policies and slow reforms, but we didn’t see the pressure he faces daily,” the commentary states.

The piece also cites Malaysia’s currency performance, competitiveness, tourism, foreign investment and the growth of the data centre and semiconductor industries in presenting a favourable assessment of Anwar’s administration.

However, checks by Harapandaily found that several statistics and statements contained in the circulated version require correction or updating before they can be treated as current facts.

More importantly, the identity of the original author remains unclear. A version traced by Harapandaily appeared as a “reposting” on Bryan Ng Yih Miin’s page on July 20, 2026, containing substantially the same commentary.

Later circulated versions have been attributed to an individual identified as “Dr Jason Chew, Industrial Consultant”. However, Harapandaily has so far been unable to locate an original publication or independently verified professional profile establishing that he authored the commentary.

The piece should therefore be treated as a circulating political commentary rather than an authenticated statement or professional analysis by Dr Jason Chew.

Nevertheless, its central argument is clear: Anwar’s performance, according to the commentary, should not be judged solely through individual controversies or the pace of particular reforms. Instead, it urges Malaysians to consider the broader economic performance, political stability, reform efforts and Malaysia’s international standing.

The commentary concludes by saying Malaysians owe Anwar a “fair judgment” based on his overall record in government.