The Mahathir-Anwar Intrigue And The Silence From DAP

As it is, in just one year, DAP has been able to do so much damage to Malay political and economic domination. In five years, the damage DAP would have done will be beyond repair. And if they can win a second term in GE15, then the whole of Malaysia will become like Singapore and Penang.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

There is a lot of talk regarding the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad-Anwar Ibrahim power struggle. Anwar, of course, denies there is a power struggle while Mahathir just smiles, as usual. But whatever it may be, the talk comes from only the Malays. You may have noticed that DAP has remained very silent and has said nothing.

So, what is DAP’s stand? Does DAP support Mahathir to ride out his ‘agreed’ two-year term until May 2020? Does DAP want Mahathir to serve his full five-year term until GE15? Or does DAP want Anwar to take over as soon as possible, say by May this year or in a few weeks’ time?

There are three theories. Anwar will take over in May this year. Anwar will take over in May next year. Mahathir still stay on until GE15. DAP, however, has not indicated what the scenario should be.

And why is DAP uncommitted to any one of those three possibilities?

DAP wants Mahathir and Anwar to continue to fight so that DAP can remain strong

Well, first of all, DAP does not want the power struggle to end. DAP controls a large number of seats and anyone who wants to emerge the winner in this power struggle needs the support of DAP. So why should DAP announce who they support, whether Mahathir or Anwar, and in essence give away their support free-of-charge.

Whoever wants to become Prime Minister will need DAP’s support and this support will not come free, or even cheap. That person will have to pay dearly for it. After all, when you make a deal with the devil, you will need to sell your soul.

Secondly, as long as the Malays inside and outside Pakatan Harapan continue to fight, DAP will remain strong. DAP already has more than 95% of the Chinese support with about 75% of the Indians. So, if the Malays are split into four or five, that serves DAP’s interest.

Any Umno-PAS cooperation is disadvantageous to the Chinese

In Pakatan Harapan you have the Mahathir group and the Anwar group. Outside Pakatan Harapan you have the Umno group and the PAS group. Then you have the Sabah group and the Sarawak group. With six groups and not one huge pan-Malaysian Malay group — like what DAP has achieved with the Chinese — DAP is the kingmaker of Malaysian politics.

That is why DAP is very upset when Umno and PAS talk about getting married. Umno controls 35% of the Malays, PAS another 35%, and the balance by Pakatan Harapan. But if Umno and PAS unite, then 75% or maybe even 80% of the Malays would become a force to be reckoned with, even if 95% of the Chinese support DAP en bloc.

That is why Pakatan Harapan, in particular DAP, sees any cooperation between Umno and PAS as a tragedy and a threat to Chinese political domination.

As long as the Malays fight amongst themselves DAP can control the government

The 2018 general election or GE14 was the best ever in history for the Chinese. DAP or Pakatan Harapan did not win because they were strong. They won because the Malays were weak and badly divided. And as long as the Malays remain weak and badly divided, that would be how long DAP would be the warlord in the government and the kingmaker of Malaysian politics.

Hence DAP wants the Mahathir-Anwar power struggle to continue. And they want Umno and PAS to remain enemies. And with 95% Chinese behind them, DAP can practically run the country with no opposition whatsoever.

As it is, in just one year, DAP has been able to do so much damage to Malay political and economic domination. In five years, the damage DAP would have done will be beyond repair. And if they can win a second term in GE15, then the whole of Malaysia will become like Singapore and Penang.