NEW DELHI: Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim posted a moving tribute to Dr Manmohan Singh on Friday ‘X’, recalling the many kindnesses of “his dear friend” when he, Anwar, was imprisoned, and describing him as “a little clumsy as a politician but undeniably upright, firm and determined as a statesman,” a man “whose legacy would inspire generations to come.
Singh was “the midwife of India’s emergence as one of the world’s economic giants,” Anwar wrote in ‘X’ as he signed off, describing the late former prime minister as “my mitra, my bhai, Manmohan.”
He said he had the privilege of “witnessing firsthand the early years of these transformative policies” when both served as their countries’ finance ministers during the 1990s. “We share a fervent commitment to the war against corruption and We even collaborated to unravel an important case,” Anwar wrote.
Anwar said it was time people knew why Singh, “as the Bard would say”, was a “man so full of the milk of human kindness”. He recalled: “During the years of my imprisonmenthe showed a kindness that was not necessary: one that was neither politically expedient nor, as you might imagine, appreciated by the Malaysian government at the time. However, true to his character, he did it anyway. he offered scholarships for my children, particularly for my son Ihsan.” He said that although he had rejected the offer, “such a gesture undoubtedly demonstrated his extraordinary humanity and generosity…”
“In those dark days, as I navigated the labyrinth of imprisonment, he stood by my side as a true friend. Such acts of quiet magnanimity defined him and will remain etched in my heart forever,” Anwar, who was imprisoned from 1999 to 2004 . , wrote.