Examining Anwar Ibrahim’s debut year in political spotlight

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Hello reader,

Imagine a country where its leader’s charisma seems to outshine his policies, where the promise of foreign investments meets skepticism, and where the tech industry has become a stage for political theatrics.

Welcome to Malaysia under Prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. The politician, in his first year in office, has garnered attention not just for his diplomatic endeavors but for the intriguing twists and turns in his interactions with tech entities like Elon Musk and TikTok.

In today’s big story, we explore Anwar’s time in office so far, delving into the highs and lows, scrutinizing the claims, decoding the statements, and uncovering the complexities that underscore the intersection of politics and tech in Malaysia.

Today we look at:

• Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s tech controversies
• An AI startup building its open-source large language model
• Other newsy highlights such as a digital loan matchmaking platform and Carro’s IPO plans

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Striking a pose, facing the critics

Image credit: Timmy Loen

Anwar, approaching his first anniversary in office, stands out from his predecessors with a carefully curated public image. However, trying to look cool has had its downsides. In his quest to be Malaysia’s salesman around the world, he has been criticized for making gaffes in policy announcements.

• Anwar’s numbers game: During a recent APEC forum in California, Anwar claimed that Malaysia had bagged over US$13.3 billion in proposed tech investments, most of which came from tech giants. However, there is a big distinction between proposed and realized investments. The prime minister also talked about a possible investment from TikTok, though some are dubious of the claim considering the social platform’s continued challenges in Malaysia.
• Shocking sweetheart deal? In July Anwar announced that he’d be having a meeting with Elon Musk, which became quite the news. However, Tesla seems to have come out with the better end of the discussions. Instead of the investments that Anwar said Musk would make, the company instead promised to set up infrastructure in the country, and this was accompanied by rare ownership exemptions. Despite Anwar’s insistence on Musk’s interest, the tangible benefits and the definition of “good” for the nation remain ambiguous.
• 5G dilemma: Another gaffe involved Huawei’s initial bid for Malaysia’s 5G rollout. The Chinese firm’s bid was rejected, and Ericsson would go on to win the tender. However, Anwar later told Time magazine that Huawei had been selected for the country’s second 5G network, causing concerns about the tender process. The country’s Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil reassured that no award had been made, emphasizing any decision would undergo an open tender process.

Read more: Is Malaysia’s tech policy on autopilot?

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