Desperate to survive, Mukhriz steps out of dad's shadow

 

After clinging on to his father’s coattails to propel him into the upper echelons of politics, Mukhriz Mahathir has stepped out of the patriarch's shadow. However, the two continue to share an ideological bond premised on race-based politics.

Their paths diverged when Mukhriz and Dr Mahathir Mohamad were decimated in the last general election. It was an ignominious outcome, which witnessed the two losing their deposits in their respective strongholds.

It must have been at this point that the 58-year-old politician realised that his 97-year-old father no longer wielded the influence to shape his future.

Struggling to remain afloat after Perikatan Nasional’s “green wave” demolished Pejuang and Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) in the contest for Malay-Muslim votes, Mukhriz is resorting to the tried and tested political formula - “if you can’t beat them, join them”.

The Pejuang president is hoping that one of Mahathir’s numerous political allies-turned-nemeses, PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin, would throw him a lifeline.

Political scientist Wong Chin Huat

According to political scientist Wong Chin Huat, Mukhriz is desperate because of the upcoming elections for six states, including the PN-controlled Kedah.

Failing to take drastic steps, he said, would result in another embarrassing electoral butchering for the former Kedah menteri besar, who is the incumbent assemblyperson for the Jitra state seat.

“He has an urgent need to secure his state seat in the upcoming election. Going alone against two blocs, Pakatan Harapan-BN and PN, guarantees defeat and loss of deposit (again).

“Hence, he severed ties with GTA to join either Pakatan Harapan-BN or PN but this is too hard to bear for his father who is bitter with both (Prime Minister) Anwar Ibrahim and Muhyiddin for outsmarting him,” he told Malaysiakini.

‘Joining Muhyiddin more profitable’

Under these circumstances, Wong said the option of joining Muhyiddin would be more profitable for Mukhriz than continuing with his father.

“To put it simply, the state election may be the last battle for the father, but the son does not want it to be the last for him,” he added.

Perhaps Mukhriz also decided to opt for Muhyiddin instead of Anwar in order not to prescribe his father a pill too bitter to swallow.

PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin

Although Mahathir has accused the Bersatu president of being a “traitor”, the two, however, share the same political DNA - the former with his “heart still beating for the Malays” and the latter who proclaimed he is “Malay first, Malaysian second”.

Furthermore, Pejuang’s struggle resonates more with PN instead of Harapan, which includes DAP which continues to be a hard sell to the Malay electorate.

As for Mahathir, the nonagenarian has no plans to exit the ring. He has left Pejuang, which he co-founded with his son, together with his band of loyalists to join Ibrahim Ali’s Putra.

During the era of the Najib Abdul Razak administration, Mahathir served as the patron of the Ibrahim-led Perkasa movement.

The movement had often made headlines, including when Ibrahim called for the burning of Malay-language bibles that contained the word “Allah” in 2014. - Mkini