There is a short-sighted perception that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is making a hash of the prime minister's dominant authority, engineered by realpolitik to achieve cohesive parliamentary representation.
The perception insists that Anwar had "abandoned" his rallying cry of "reformasi", thus reinforcing Malaysians' disillusion with politics, if a London-based magazine's latest trope is to be swallowed.
Assessing Anwar in such simplistic terms, that he must be absolutely judged by his "reformasi" pledges, reflects a fragment of the bigger picture. In that sense, the magazine is a little correct.
However, if he applies the rational method to Anwar's game plan, then he is naturally compelled to momentarily side-track "reformasi" while he gingerly charts treacherous waters.
Here's why: no prime minister before Anwar has ever primarily tackled institutionalised corruption, the sickening root problem plaguing Malaysia for generations.
In the process, Anwar unleashed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to take down the titanic rogues who brazenly profited from cronyism, free contracts, money laundering and downright misappropriation. It's obvious that Anwar is on to something big when the MACC could investigate and indict supremely powerful political and corporate sacred cows.
Lest critics lose consciousness, Anwar's anti-corruption drive is the essence of "reformasi" when he risked life, limb and reputation to prompt the 1998 rebellion after his downfall.
Yes, "reformasi" implies good governance and transitioning to socio-political and economic policies that facilitate democracy, human rights, women's rights, national unity and justice. To be fair, these are works in progress.
Ironically, Anwar's Herculean labour of draining the muck of systemic corruption — again at the risk of life, limb and reputation — is considered somewhat lowly compared with his overall "reformasi" pledges.
Observe the flak he gets and suddenly, inexplicably, get bogged down by inane water woes at Universiti Malaysia Sabah despite approving a RM3 million allocation last year.
Questions on why that RM3 million had gone astray warrant an investigation, just like all jobbery related to government contracts. But does the PM need to be dragged in when there is a relevant ministry and authority to handle the matter?
From Day One, Anwar's locus was to course correct the nation, anti-corruption being thematic. The moment he was sworn in as PM, Anwar was forced to neutralise "backdoor" coups, real or imagined, only because the conspirators' greatest fear is that his anti-corruption cause is getting the desired results.
From there, the conspirators also fear that Anwar might succeed in reforming the entire socio-political structure to elevate all Malaysians.
That won't do, not when sections of the electorate have been "dumbed down" for eons to accept a certain narrative — and master.
The conspirators' latest backdoor coup, the so-called Dubai Move, collapsed even before it could calcify to derail Anwar's march. Still, Malaysians, especially the majority invested in his "reformasi" philosophy, must cut him some slack.
With proper backing, Anwar can end the scourge of ingrained corruption, and only then can they demand the great revolution that he has long assured us.