Asi, Mahathir akaramba achitsigira Anwar semutsivi wake kusvikira hukama hwavo hwaparara zvakanyanya panguva yedambudziko rezvemari reAsia. Nzvimbo dzavo dzakaramba dzichienda, naMahathir achisiya mitemo yakaoma yemari uye yemari yakakurudzirwa neIMF. Pamusangano mukuru weUMNO muna 1998, mutsigiri anotungamira weMahathir, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, akashoropodza hurumende yekusaita zvakakwana kurwisa huwori nehuwori. Sezvo Mahathir akatanga kuzvimiririra kubva kuna Mahathir, achisimudzira pachena hutungamiri hwake hwehupfumi hwehupfumi, uye achiita sekuratidzira kuti aifarira kusunungura zvirambidzo pane rusununguko rwevanhu izvo zvakanga zvave chiratidzo chehutungamiriri hwaMahathir. Zvisinei, Mahathir akaramba achitsigira Anwar semutsivi wake kusvikira hukama hwavo hwaparara zvakanyanya panguva yedambudziko rezvemari reAsia.
kumhanyira pachikuva uye kumunyengetedza nemisodzi kuti agare