Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim: Honor Rizal, Ninoy

Former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reminded Filipinos to honor Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal and former Senator Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. — two persons whom Ibrahim counts among his inspirations. In his lecture "Rizal, Ninoy and Asian Leadership" at the University of the Philippines College of Law Malcolm Theater on Friday, Anwar, a former political prisoner, said Rizal's novels are good not just in the classroom but also within prison walls. He recalled how Rizal inspired him as a free man as well as a man under incarceration. "Rizal's Mi Ulitimo Adios is a poem that never ceased to inspire me as a student," said Anwar, viewed as one of the forefathers of the Asian renaissance. Then when he was imprisoned, Anwar said, "I found myself grabbing hold onto Rizal's Noli Mi Tangere, indeed a worthy companion particularly for political prisoners." World with no races Now the head of Malaysia's Opposition, Anwar believes Rizal's message remains relevant today. Anwar read an excerpt from El Filibusterismo: “Within a few centuries, when humanity has become redeemed and enlightened, when there are no races, when all peoples are free, when there are neither tyrants nor slaves, colonies nor mother countries, when justice rules and man is a citizen of the world, the pursuit of science alone will remain, the word patriotism will be equivalent to fanaticism, and he who prides himself on patriotic ideas will doubtless be isolated as a dangerous disease, as a menace to the social order."" "Any student of history would acknowledge Rizal's pivotal role in the reawakening of Asia. Rizal goes beyond the Philippines - he is a great Malayan, the pride of the race," said Anwar, who has on occasion been asked why he, a Malaysian Muslim is honoring a Filipino Christian. Anwar explained that Rizal's ideals of freedom, justice, and an end to tyranny are recurrent themes that any good leader must focus on. "As a national hero, his courage was exemplary. He was also a man of letters. He composed beautiful and immportal words, that are at the same time subversive and threatening to the powers that be," he said of Rizal, whom he called the example par excelence of a Malay, a Filipino, and an Asian. Ninoy inherited Rizal's struggle Anwar also spoke of Ninoy, the father of incumbent President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III and husband of the late President Corazon Aquino. "Ninoy inherited Rizal's struggle for freedom and dignity. He had the courage of Rizalian proportion," continued Anwar, whose daughter says "The Impossible Dream" is the Aquino song. "Do you think Ninoy wasn't crazy to challenge Marcos? He was. Do you think Rizal wasn't crazy to challenge the Spanish imperialists? He was crazy. So was Moses, Jesus and Mohammed...These were men of vision, with courage and conviction," said Anwar. He went on to propose a challenge to the Filipino people. "It's not enough to bury the ashes of the dead. You must rekindle its flame," said Anwar. "To honor Rizal and Ninoy, we have to forge solidarity to advance the cause of freedom and democracy...without democracy, justice is impossible. Without freedom and justice, prosperity is unsustainable and limited to the powerful and well-connected," he said, adding that President Aquino has all the moral capital to carry the torch of democracy and justice not only in the Philippines, but also in Asia. "As Asia moves on and more and more of its member nations embrace freedom and democracy, then these erring states will find themselves increasingly isolated and one day will succumb. Let's hope that day can come sooner than later," he said. - VVP, GMA News