WITHER MALAYSIA UNDER MAHATHIR ?

WITHER MALAYSIA UNDER MAHATHIR ?

Malaysians are elated that a new government has been formed.  They have finally found out that democracy allows them to change the government.  It is now touted as the era of hope and the dawn of reforms in the country.

Question many are asking is: what hope and what reforms ?

The last BN government has actually inherited Mahathir’s government put in police by him for 22 years.  It is now historical and common knowledge about all the financial scandals, emasculation of the institutions and the cronyism of Mahathir’s first rule. 

It is a wonder that Abdullah Badawi did not institute any charges against Mahathir when he took over as PM in 2004. It was not because Abdullah was kind. It was because back then it was not customary to go against another BN leader especially when it will make the entire BN look terrible and corrupt . 

Abdullah too was not exactly a very clever man.

Najib has never been a politically savvy leader nor one with vision. He is known to be a poor listener lacking in intellectual capacity.  Hence, his policies have all been those that are crafted by others and least understood by him. His fall was not unexpected especially when he failed to distance himself from the 1MDB rallying cry of Mahathir.

The point is since Mahathir stepped down in 2002, he had been systematically undermining the BN government and always had the fear that they would tear down his legacy . Worse was his fears that criminal investigations may be started against him, his family and his cronies for the accumulation of immense wealth .

Being the Machiavelli, he was consistently on the offensive with the BN leaders and ironically also against Anwar for the past 20 years . Only mahathir was able to play the double game .

Only 2 years ago, when he correctly read the general mood in Malaysia, he took advantage . He positioned himself as head of the Pakatan Opposition then and won to become the Prime Minister . Now he can clean his slate in history . So he has escaped the punishment from the people for all his crimes against Malaysia .

So back to what reforms ? Obviously the new government has to defe all those toxic culture that Mahathir has inculcated into the Malaysian system especially the institutions .  Will he do it ?

Many people’s guess is that he will not do it if he has a choice. He is no reformer but one who believes only in physical economic development .  However , with the presence of Anwar Ibrahim and DAP, he may be compelled to make some reforms.  It is also due to the fact that he is not a strong PM coming from a parry with only 12 members of Parliament .

Will Najib be thrown in jail? The majority of political analysts are sceptical . There is an unwritten  understanding among politicians in Malaysia that they have special treatment from law - unless absolute necessary to maintain power. Anwar would not have been put into jail by Mahathir if he had not posed a political threat.  The wrongs don’t matter. It is the political threat that does. This is something the voters don’t understand.

Politicians have behind the scene deep relationships founded on power and money . Many negotiations  take place behind the voters back.  Anything can happen if the “deal” is agreed upon . 

Mahathir’s return to primer ship shows very clearly that he is outdated. It also confirms that he has never trained any new talents. People point to all the old, and past personalities returning as important decision makers in his circle - Daim Zainuddin ( many scandals), Abu Talib, the former AG, and so on.

So , will Malaysia reform ? The answer lies not with Mahathir but with Anwar Ibrahim and DAP.

Shamsul Bahrain

Malaysia