The Malaysian Insight

MALAYSIAN spring. A New Malaysia.

Fair to say that there is still a feel-good buzz about the miracle on May 9.

Fair also to note that there is some confusion and anxiety as a result of the explosion of news now that the fetters have been removed from calling it like it is.

‎On occasion, The Malaysian Insight will take a step back from the news cycle and attempt to answer some pressing questions or verify some claims.   

QUESTION 1:  Is the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government in danger of imploding spectacularly?  

No.

But having said that, there is a new game in town: it’s called how long will Dr Mahathir Mohamad and friends last in office. The promoters of this game and its most enthusiastic players are Umno members, political ‎hangers-on and some Malaysia watchers.

The main thesis of this group is that Anwar Ibrahim is a naturally ambitious politician and will insist of having his say on the national and international stage. At some point, his regular interventions will annoy Prime Minister Dr Mahathir and will result in a public bust-up.

This fracas between the PM and the PM-in-waiting could unleash poison in PH and lead to a break-up of the coalition that has 124 seats in Parliament.

The chief purveyors of this scenario are in Umno.

Unable to chart a road map of recovery, they are banking on the implosion of the PH government to give them a back-door return to Putrajaya.‎ 

So expect Umno bloggers and politicians to stir the pot every time Anwar delivers a statement that appears to be scolding Putrajaya or makes an unexpected call on the royalty.

They want to drive a wedge between Dr Mahathir and other PH leaders and Anwar.

They want the rest of the country to be consumed by this soap opera. Umno wants the Mahathir administration to be distracted by this soap opera.

We have played this parlour game once before – with dire consequences for Malaysia and Dr Mahathir and Anwar. Twenty years ago, an insidious whispering campaign by Anwar and Dr Mahathir finally led to a confrontation that ended with the former sacked and jailed and the latter’s standing among Malaysians damaged.

Both have been tossed this unexpected chance for redemption in the evening of their life. 

It will be silly if Anwar and Dr Mahathir forget just who gave them their second chance at the top.

Worse yet, it would be a pity if they allowed their hangers-on to take them down the well-worn path of mutual assured destruction ‎they took in 1998. 

‎QUESTION 2: Anwar has no official position in government. So why is he meeting opinion-makers?

Anwar has met the Johor sultan. Anwar has paid a courtesy call on the Agong’s mother in Kelantan. And he is scheduled to visit Indonesian President Jokowi Widodo.

This flurry of high-level meetings has created the impression ‎of a man in a hurry, of a man who wants to send the signal to everyone that he is a big player in the post-election landscape. 

This high profile has annoyed some people, who have accused Anwar of being overly ambitious. 

But here is the thing: did anyone expect the former deputy prime minister and once leader of the opposition to be a house husband for the next 24 hours?

Anwar has always craved the spotlight. 

Even when he was in jail, he was issuing press statements and making key decisions for PKR.

Why should any Malaysians be surprised of Anwar’s desire to be heard, respected and treated as a major power in Malaysia today?

He is going to be the PM in two years and he doesn’t want anyone to forget that. – May 29, 2018.