MAHATHIR, ZAID AND LIM KIT SIANG TO SLEEP ON THE SAME PILLOW WITH DIFFERENT DREAMS?

Umar Mukhtar

As of this time last year, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad wanted to remove Prime Minister Najib Razak in order to save UMNO. This was presumably because of Najib’s performance and perceived transgressions that would cause UMNO to lose the PRU14 in 2018. But he failed to do so for the simple reason that his influence in UMNO has waned considerably.

He is now so frustrated with UMNO (not himself) that he has left the party, but still harbours thoughts of ousting Najib as PM presumably in order to to save Malaysia.

Lim Kit Siang wants to remove UMNO from power ever since he learnt of the word Bumiputera or even earlier, maybe after his short apprenticeship with Lee Kuan Yew. But he just couldn’t do it without the help from a Malay leader willing to do his bidding. He thought he had found one in Anwar Ibrahim, but unfortunately for him, the prince turned frog.

Now Mahathir is out of UMNO and, like LKS, he still wants Najib out. Seems like a marriage made in heaven for both the old men. After a short pow wow, the both of them agreed to join forces. Like all politicians not wanting to be blamed when an initiative goes wrong, they looked for an intermediary to front and nurture the initiative.

Zaid Ibrahim jumped at the opportunity to be relevant again and excitedly wants to assemble a flotilla of rainbow-coloured crowd who are desperate to see the back of Najib. Zaid is eminently qualified for the job because his resume is a mile long on his quarrels with almost everybody – UMNO, DAP, PAS, PKR, KITA, you name it. So he is Chief Rainbow by default

All is set for March 27th. Except for a slight problem. LKS assumed that to save Malaysia and oust Najib as PM, Barisan Nasional (read: UMNO) must be defeated at PRU14. Wouldn’t Mahathir want that too? He is not a member of UMNO so he doesn’t care, right? Wrong. UMNO is his baby, especially the ‘baru’ strain. He may have left UMNO, but his heart is still with his creation.

Then why did he leave? He ‘merajuk’ kampung-style, hoping that that will compel comatose UMNO members to start thinking. He wanted his leaving to underscore his unhappiness. Perhaps that will invoke feelings of restlessness and a call to action among sleeping members to do something about Najib. He still thinks he is relevant. He wants to save UMNO

March 27th will reflect this desire a bit and will serve as a platform for him to speak of his grievances against UMNO, thanks to Zaid. He still wants Najib removed BEFORE PRU14 so that he can have the cake and eat it too in order to campaign for UMNO (without Najib as president). Where does that leave LKS? Frustrated and duped you would think?

Nah, any movement that smack this country of political instability is part of LKS agenda. More or less like the trade union strike when LKY was befriending the Socialist Front. Good learner! Or maybe not. LKS wears his heart on his sleeve and really wishes well for all Malaysians. Hence, the kiss and make up with his archenemy of yesteryears!

You would think that a matter of such great differences in objectives would have been discussed at the pow wow with Mahathir. It’s vintage LKS if it was not categorically touched on. LKS did it with Anwar who welcomed the avoidance of abrasive issues. And many would be attending March 27th thinking it’s to rally a movement to remove UMNO from power.

It’s normal for LKS to emerge from a meeting grinning as if he got what he wanted and then when later denied that it’s true, he would throw tantrums as if it was discussed and was agreed in his favour. Ask Tok Guru Hadi Awang and the numerous DAP dissidents. Of course there’s no minutes on things not discussed!

I am not going to be ‘kay poh’ about other people’s party leaders but I know that LKS will be eager on March 27th to help remove Najib as president of UMNO in order to make UMNO a better party. And it is going to be Mahathirism all over again. Thank you, LKS and Zaid!