Abstract

Studies on leadership and stories have become increasingly popular as evidenced by a growing number of research in that area. It is notable that, while these political actors construct credibility and affiliation with the public, the deployment of narratives can reflect their enactment of leadership and leadership styles. The present study is an example of how narratives within one’s political rhetoric set up a normative example of how leadership is enacted. This research utilises a speech delivered by Anwar Ibrahim, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia to examine the embedded narratives and how they reflect his authentic leadership style. The study analysed one of the first speeches that he delivered after winning the 12^th General Election in 2023 with a duration of 81 minutes. Taking narrative as a social practice and utilising the narrative framework by Labov and Waletzky (1967), the analysis reveals the values embedded within the narratives are aligned with authentic leadership. They include openness, morally responsible, representative for the rakyat (people), and a role model exhibiting resilience and positive attitude, hence rebuilding Anwar’s tarnished image in the eyes of the conservative Malay Muslims. By demonstrating how narratives can restore legitimacy and rebuild trust, this study contributes to the growing body of research on authentic leadership. It highlights the importance of discourse analysis in capturing leadership-in-action and provides insight into the role of political storytelling in Malaysian democracy.

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