CT confided in friendship with Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim

Trans Corp CEO Chairul Tanjung (CT) revealed his friendship with Anwar Ibrahim since he was a minister until now he is the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
This closeness was revealed when CT was present at the Chat for Advanced Indonesia event held by Total Politics at Plaza Indonesia,
CT revealed that he had a mentor named Mar’ie Muhammad who was Director General of Taxes from 1988-1993 and activist Adi Sasono. The two men also had a relationship with Anwar. “Well, Mr. Anwar used to have a mentor at HMI, his name was Mar’ie Muharam, he also had a friend named Adi Sasono. So this is actually all connected,” said CT.
Anwar had attended HMI training in Pekalongan. Meanwhile, Mar’ie also became a member of HMI.

CT then continued his story that he knew Anwar since he served as minister in the neighbor country. “So I knew him from the ministerial era. Then he was drop, after being dropped into prison. Every time he came out of prison he contacted me, I took care of it,” said CT. CT said that the Malaysian PM had gone back and forth to prison. He went to jail again. Three times, this friend went to jail,” he said. Anwar first tasted jail in 1974. At that time, he was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for holding demonstrations against poverty and hunger in rural areas.

Based on this regulation, Anwar was sent to prison for 20 months without the need to undergo a trial.

Then in 1999, he returned to prison for sodomy and corruption charges. Some in the international community consider the allegations politically motivated
Before being sent to prison, Anwar was deputy prime minister during the Mahathir Mohamad era. He was then appointed interim prime minister to replace Mahathir.

When he became the interim PM, he completely overhauled the government and exposed the rottenness of the UMNO party which was considered to be fragile due to the crony system, corruption and nepotism within the party.

Anwar was later charged with alleged corruption and attempted obstruction of justice in the sodomy case he was accused of. In 2004, Malaysia’s Supreme Court dismissed the charges and acquitted Anwar.
However, in 2015-2018, he again felt the cold floor of prison because of allegations of sodomy by the regime of Prime Minister Najib Razaq. Although no stranger to prison, Anwar remains active in politics. In 2022, he was finally prime minister after a series of election dramas in Malaysia.

True friends, friends, when we are difficult, not when we are happy,” said CT.

CT and Anwar have a close relationship. In early January, the Malaysian PM visited Indonesia to meet President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
Apart from carrying out the bilateral agenda, Anwar also attended the CT Corp Leadership Forum event at Menara Bank Mega, South Jakarta.
Anwar’s closeness with the owner of CT Corp was reveal when he met Jokowi.
“Earlier, Pak Jokowi asked where the forum was? I said it was in CT’s office (Chairul Tanjung). The reason was because I was wast, my friends then got together and CT arrange a big program,” said Anwar Ibrahim when sharing his experience at the CT Corp Leadership Forum. So I remember my friends during hard times,” said Anwar.

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