Don’t rule out Mahathir. Or should we?

 

From Ibrahim M Ahmad

With the highly anticipated 15th general election just a sleep away, much has been said about the prime ministerial candidates. Results of a recent survey even suggest that many voters consider it a critical part of their decision on their voting choices.

There are three primary candidates on offer: Ismail Sabri Yaakob of Umno-Barisan Nasional; his predecessor, Muhyiddin Yassin of Bersatu-Perikatan Nasional; and long-time nearly man, Anwar Ibrahim of PKR-Pakatan Harapan.

Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly), hardly anything has been said about two-time returnee, Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Does he deserve to be in the mix? Consider these factors:

Longevity: Born on July 10, 1925, Mahathir, now 97, has outlived Queen Elizabeth II (no mean feat) and lived through World War II, independence, the communist insurgency era, and the formation of Malaysia. He still walks, cycles, drives and even goes horse riding.

Despite approaching his century, Mahathir appears to be fitter than even serial tower-climbing champion Soh Wai Ching and is shaping up to be Malaysia’s very own Bicentennial Man.

Succession Plan: Thankfully or otherwise, Mahathir has no succession plan to offer the country. This is not through want of efforts on his part to establish a dynasty. Anyway, he probably doesn’t need one. See Longevity.

Experience: Mahathir has by far the most experience of them all. He was BN’s prime minister for 22 continuous years, before returning in different attire to lead the PH government for 22 months after the last general election. His return in ’22 (in yet another outfit a la Diana Ross) does seem ominous, doesn’t it?

Cunning: Mahathir has bags of this, having first been voted into Parliament in 1964, almost 60 years ago now. In those six decades he has outmaneuvered numerous rivals.

That long list includes Lee Kuan Yew, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Hussein Onn, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Musa Hitam, Ghafar Baba, Anwar Ibrahim, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and in recent times Najib Razak and Anwar Ibrahim (again).

Aspiring PM Khairy Jamaluddin had better beware if he is vying for high office in 2030.

Economy: He will not be afraid to realign the economy if it suits his purpose. Remember the various policies of Malaysia Incorporated, Buy British Last and Look East that he dreamt up in the 1980s?

How about the East Asia Economic Caucus free trade zone which he first conceptualised as a minister in the 1970s and floated again as PM in 2018?

And what about the way he defied the odds to save Malaysia from the 1997 Asian financial crisis?

Technology and Innovation: Mahathir is by far the most innovative. He was responsible for building the first Malaysian car. Given more time during his second stint in 2018, he would have made it fly.

Coalitions? Mahathir is his own man. He has no need for coalitions, as shown by his refusal to work with BN, PH, PN, GPS and GRS, having burnt his bridges with every one of them.

He must be confident that his motley band at Pejuang-Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) will take all 161 parliamentary seats it is contesting. Either that, or he is convinced he can be the world’s first one-man Parliament.

The conclusion: Mahathir has polarised the opinions of millions of Malaysians over the years. Those who knew him at the peak of his powers remember him as a formidable politician and a master tactician. Others despised his ruthlessness and blamed his autocratic reign for many of Malaysia’s present ills.

In more recent times, he has been both hero and villain of the piece, winning Putrajaya for PH almost single-handedly at GE14 in 2018, only to lose it, again almost single-handedly, two years later.

Perhaps, GE15 may be one election too far for him.

Ultimately, Malaysians may either be foolish enough to rule him out from becoming their 10th prime minister, or smart enough to vote him out of Parliament altogether.

You get to decide. Happy voting, Malaysia! - FMT

Ibrahim M Ahmad is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.