PKR Must Be Defeated In Rantau To Kill Off Anwar Ibrahim

For the immediate future, Mahathir is no longer under threat like he was ten months ago. So, he can go on and do all those things he plans to do with no resistance from anyone. Mahathir needs a year or two to complete his plans. And he has that year or two, after which it no longer matters what happens.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

It is important that PKR loses the Rantau by-election to ensure that Anwar Ibrahim’s plan to launch a vote of no confidence against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Parliament later this month fails.

Anwar is desperate for PKR to win the Rantau by-election after Pakatan Harapan’s loss in the two previous by-elections to show that PKR (meaning, of course, he) has more ‘power’ than DAP, PPBM and Amanah.

To Mahathir, it does not really matter whether Pakatan Harapan wins or loses Rantau because that seat belongs to Umno anyway and nothing is going to change whether Umno or PKR wins the by-election. But to Anwar it means a lot if PKR wins because he is going to use that win to flex his muscles — meaning to show he can do what the others cannot.

It is better for Mahathir if Umno wins the Rantau by-election

Many in Pakatan Harapan agree that a PKR win would be a feather in Anwar’s cap. Hence it is better that the Rantau seat be given to Umno. As it is, Anwar already feels that the post of the Eighth Prime Minister of Malaysia or PM8 is his God-given right. A PKR win in Rantau would be hailed as evidence that Allah has endorsed him as PM8.

DAP is not talking too much about whether PM7 should make way for PM8 now, in May next year, or in 2023 when GE15 is held. They will see where the chips fall and will support whoever wins the tug-of-war for the PM’s seat. DAP has too much problems of its own to rock the boat by taking sides at this stage when it is not known yet who is going to win the contest for the PM’s eat.

Lim Guan Eng is walking a very fine line and the Penang Undersea Tunnel corruption scandal can blow up in his face anytime if he makes the wrong move. Guan Eng has been implicated in receiving bribes and his future now lies in the hands of the Prime Minister. One phone call to the Attorney-General and Guan Eng will be a dead man walking.

One phone call from Mahathir and Guan Eng will be a dead man walking

Mahathir has never been stronger than he is now. When Pakatan Harapan formed the government in May 2018, Mahathir was at the mercy of DAP and PKR. Today, Mahathir has DAP and PKR in the palm of his hands and he can squeeze the life out of both of them if he so pleases.

On the side lines, Mahathir has PAS, Umno, Sabah and Sarawak. If DAP and PKR misbehave, Mahathir can just replace them with PAS, Umno, Sabah and Sarawak. And DAP and PKR know this.

For the immediate future, Mahathir is no longer under threat like he was ten months ago. So, he can go on and do all those things he plans to do with no resistance from anyone. Mahathir needs a year or two to complete his plans. And he has that year or two, after which it no longer matters what happens.