Anwar Ibrahim visited his former power base, Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim), Wednesday night before kicking off the first round of his international tour the next day.

He was Abim president since 1974, until he left the organisation to join the ruling party Umno in 1982. Since then, the former deputy premier experienced a meteoric rise in the ruling party and the government until he was sacked by former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1998.

Abim has been synonymous with Anwar, and its progress in many ways relates to that of its former leader. When Anwar was in the government, the organisation shed its confrontational image, choosing to pursue its struggle for moderate Islam, through constructive engagement with the government.

Anwar's sacking, arrest and imprisonment prompted the organisation to rally behind him and spearhead the reformasi movement. Many of Abim leaders, including its president Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, were arrested under the ISA for their struggle against injustices meted out to Anwar.

Despite general perception about Abim's regression into near political insignificance, during Anwar's six-year incarceration, and in particular after some of its senior leaders deserted the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), following a factional conflict within the party, the organisation had drawn special attention from Anwar.

Special attention

Since his release, Anwar had met Abim leaders and members thrice. The first two were closed door meetings between Anwar and senior Abim leaders, while the other was a thanksgiving gathering held at Abim headquarters in Gombak, Kuala Lumpur.

"There is no organisation that has drawn my special attention in a short span of time since my release except Abim", says Anwar, to the applause of about 500 Abim members attending the gathering.

Such attention is not unexpected given the special bond that Anwar and Abim leaders share. All former presidents of Abim were Anwar's close associates, who were actively involved in the struggle for political and social reform since the 1970s.

When Anwar joined Umno in 1982, all of them chose to stay the course. Anwar's successor, Dr Siddiq Fadzil, steered Abim on the path of da'wah, aloof from partisan politics during the turbulent times following Anwar's entry into active political life.

He never joined a political party and is now a retired academic. Dr Siddiq Fadzil's successor, Dr. Muhammad Nur Manuty, was all the time an associate professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia, before having a short stint as deputy president of Keadilan.

He quit politics after the first party election in Nov 2001 and has since returned to da'wah works. Anwar's predecessor, Dr Razali Nawawi, also stayed away from active political life and retired as a university professor. He is until now an active member of Abim.

Given the perseverance of his 'old friends' in Abim, many of whom were untainted by the brunt of power politics and the desire for lucrative government contracts, it comes as no surprise that Anwar returns to his former power base for undivided moral support and genuine friendship. What's more, Abim members are known as diehard "Anwaristas".

No smooth road

Be that as it may, the Anwar-Abim relationship had been no bed of roses at times. When Anwar was in the government, some of his friends complained of having difficulties accessing his office.

Anwar's younger "brothers" in the National Union of Muslim Student Associations (PKPIM) had on a number of occasions opposed his policy position. Even when Anwar was in prison, there were occasions where both parties were in disagreement with each other.

Some Abim leaders took Anwar to task for the crusade against Abim-linked candidates in 2001 Keadilan polls. Anwar also appeared unhappy with Abim over the latter's seeming lack of vigor in pursuing the struggle for political reform.

The Wednesday night reunion, however, managed to clear the air. Citing age factor and conditions in prison, Anwar quipped, 'the sense of ageing and loneliness in prison make me feel a bit sensitive'.

He also noted that while he was in prison not all information came to his knowledge, hence the misunderstandings. He added, 'when I am out of the prison, it is easy for me to forgive'.

Resolved to move forward, Anwar stressed the need to preserve and reinforce Abim's role as 'the conscience of the majority, the idealism of the Ummah and the vehicle for the young generation's struggle for reform'.

He also reminded Abim members to buttress their effort in instilling Islamic values among the youth, an effort which had seemingly been abandoned by the government.

On Abim's political role, Anwar reiterated his conviction that Abim should remain a non-political organisation. In regard to this, 'senior Abim leaders should be aloof from partisan politics', he said.

Anwar, however, reminded Abim that it should not be apolitical on issues of corruption, repression and abuses of power. Realising that the present euphoria over his release may be temporary, Anwar expects Abim's machinery to help in his struggle for reform. This implies an active political role of some Abim members.

Up to this point, it is incumbent upon Abim leadership to contemplate on the organisation's dual role. It has to reinforce itself as a da'wah movement aloof from partisan politics, while at the same time bolster its clamour for political reform.

Educating youths

Keadilan Youth chief, Ezam Mohamad Nor, believes that Abim should maintain its integrity as a non-political organisation, while at the same time fortify efforts to educate reform-minded youths in the country.

Sharing the same sentiment is Keadilan vice-youth chief, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin. He stresses the need for Abim members to be the "locomotive for reform".

Feeling vindicated by Anwar's special attention to Abim was none other than its president, Ahmad Azam Rahman. He looks forward to actualising Abim's distinct, but not necessarily mutually exclusive roles as a da'wah movement and a political force to be reckoned with.

According to him, the gist in Anwar's address was that Abim should continue to be an independent da'wah movement, which at the same time clamours for reform. This is what Abim has been doing in varying degrees thus far.

Added to Abim's present feel good sentiment was, in the words of Dr Siddiq Fadzil, the return of not "Anwar the deputy premier, but Anwar the fighter".

While "Anwaristas" in Abim will surely welcome the return of Anwar the fighter, the question remains as to what extent Abim can offer both organisational and emotional support to Anwar's reform agenda and to effectively fight alongside its most luminous "graduand"?

Marzuki Mohamad is a political science lecturer at the International Islamic University Malaysia. He is currently enrolled as a Phd candidate in the Department of Political and Social Change, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University.