COMMENT | Is Anwar Ibrahim fit for the office of prime minister of Malaysia?

This question was not seriously asked of previous holders of the post.

The prevailing political culture did not allow space for serious public discussion on the fitness for the highest office of Abdul Razak Hussein, Hussein Onn, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Abdul Razak – the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth PMs respectively of the country – prior to their actual occupation of the post.

The regnant political culture did not consider it good form to discuss the fitness for the highest office of the above-mentioned prime ministers when they were deputy PMs...