Erratic politics show time has caught up with wily Dr M, say analysts

© Provided by The Malay Mail Online One analyst concluded Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s inconsistency was intentional, and necessitated by his goal to force a change of prime ministers without risking the collapse…KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Once considered the most adept of local politicians, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is now seemingly collecting enemies faster than he can make new allies.

Dr Mahathir cast his lot in with opposition parties in the “Save Malaysia” movement, but has not helped the collaboration with caustic remarks and allegations against them.

The former prime minister has wavered from day to day about his position about his opposition allies, one day calling for Malaysians to back them against Barisan Nasional and the next, alleging they will collude with the ruling coalition to prop up Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“Dr M’s flip-flopping on his recent assertions may appear new. But in fact it is consistent with his past record of Machiavellianism,” said Dr Lim Teck Ghee for the Centres for Policy Initiatives.

“The difference now is that his inconsistency and flip flopping is so obvious that it is an indication that father time has caught up with him and he has lost his mental sharpness.”

One analyst concluded Dr Mahathir’s inconsistency was intentional, and necessitated by his goal to force a change of prime ministers without risking the collapse of Barisan Nasional as the ruling government.

The former prime minister’s support of the opposition was, as such, only as far as necessary to achieve his goal, and not the opposition’s aim of taking over power from BN, which Dr Mahathir has publicly declared Pakatan Harapan will never do.

“He is trying to have the pie and eat it, too; toppling Najib but keeping Umno in power,” Dr Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore said in an email interview with the Malay Mail Online.

Both analysts were of the view that Dr Mahathir’s erratic behaviour was indictment of the Pakatan Harapan parties that are clinging on to co-operation with the former Umno president dubbed caustically as the de facto opposition leader.

They said the opposition’s willingness to tolerate Dr Mahathir and swallow his denigration showed they were too weak to be able to cast aside the possible benefits of working with the former PM.

Despite a scathing letter by jailed de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim warning PKR and its allies not to be entrapped by Dr Mahathir’s personal agenda, Pakatan Harapan has not expressly rejected the latter.

The pact has already committed too much to Dr Mahathir’s “Save Malaysia” campaign that publicly retreating now would be politically damaging.

“Pakatan, unfortunately, could not afford to cut him loose, as they are unraveling themselves and are in need of a somewhat straw-man charismatic figure to rally around,” Oh said.

Lim said the opposition parties are likely to stick with Dr Mahathir despite the lack of traction by the “Save Malaysia” movement and questionable benefits of doing so, at least until Malaysians choose their next government.

Dr Mahathir is accused of seeking Najib’s ouster with the aim of making his son, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, the next prime minister. The allegation has tempered support for “Save Malaysia” and exacerbated by Dr Mahathir’s refusal to name his choice for PM when challenged.

“It remains to be seen if Dr M is still around and canvassing against Najib by the time of the next election — whether this will win them enough votes from those in the Umno camp that are fence sitters or anti-Najib,” Lim added.