How Mahathir has been checkmated

Lim Teck Ghee, The Heat Online

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his supporters in Umno appear to have been check mated in his attempt to get Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign voluntarily or to have him replaced by another leader. Why has the veteran political leader, an icon in the party which he led for over 20 years, been defeated in what he and his supporters see as the mother of battles to save the party and ensure its continued supremacy in national politics.

Criticism of Najib has covered the full range of subjects, including national concerns such as the BR1M handout and the 1MDB quagmire to more racially targeted ones, calculated to appeal to the Umno heartland. The latter include Najib’s alleged pandering to the non-Malay electorate during the last elections. The attacks have also been fiercely personal and have zeroed in on the prime minister’s reputedly spent-thrift wife, and his high-profile son-in-law, and including concerns about his family’s personal wealth, and the ticking time bomb of the unresolved murder mystery of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

In most countries such an unprecedented public questioning and censure of the prime minister’s record of leadership and personal integrity coming from a long serving national leader, and relating to so many perceived misdeeds (none of them really new as many are simply echoing the allegations of abuse of power and mis-governance levelled by the political opposition and many civil society organizations) would have sent the incumbent national leader packing, if not trigger an early election and a possible change of government.

But this is Malaysia where the outward appearance of a healthy democracy conceals an authoritarian system which is buttressed with one of the most pervasive and effective patronage systems to be found anywhere in the world.

While much attention has been focused on the use of repression, coercion and fear to ensure compliance with and bring about continuity of Umno dominance, in fact it is the reliance on material gain, socio-economic largess and political carrots, and not only the use of the stick, that explains Umno’s and BN’s stranglehold on power in the country.

Wide Reach of Political Patronage

Basically, we have seen Umno and other BN parties bring into their sphere of influence allies, supporters and cronies which include civil servants, businessmen, politicians, members of royalty, military officials, academicians, professionals, journalists and religious functionaries. The biggest rewards are doled out by those at the top of the pyramid of power in Umno and to a lesser extent, the other BN parties. These rewards have enabled groups and individuals at the higher levels to become privileged, wealthy and influential, often beyond their wildest expectations.

The enormous patronage system has also enabled lower level beneficiaries to enjoy lesser but still coveted rewards such as accelerated career advancement or overseas junkets or lucrative business contracts, concessions, licenses and other material perks.

Perhaps the most adroit exploiter of the patronage system was Mahathir, in part because of the longevity of his tenure, and in part, because of how he permitted public interest to be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.

Now, in his battle to oust the current prime minister, that structure of top-down power relationship and system of patronage and reward to supporters that Mahathir built and solidified stands in the way of the change that he is urging on the nation.

Unlike his predecessor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, also known as Pak Lah, Najib has skilfully used the clout of incumbency to neutralise Mahathir’s attacks. Three key groups of supporters have rushed out in support of the prime minister.

On the Umno side, they include the great majority of Umno division chiefs, Wanita Umno and Umno youth. Right behind are Barisan Nasional party chiefs, representing their respective party organisations and the collective position of the ruling coalition. And bringing up the rear are mass organisations such as Cuepac, the powerful civil servants’ association, and Felda organisations and leaders including the settler heads in the 11 regional land development schemes, and numerous other organisations.

All these groups have reaffirmed their support and loyalty to the prime minister for fear of losing their position in the gravy train which runs according to the decisions arrived at by the prime minister and the coterie of insiders and advisers that have his ear.

In contrast to the galaxy of heavy weights in the country’s political dynamics that Najib is able to mobilise, Mahathir – now that he is out of power and unable to command or buy up support – can only count on a small group of bloggers, retired politicians and civil servants, and Perkasa. Unfortunately for Ibrahim Ali, Perkasa’s boss, his latest gushing description of Mahathir as “Allah’s gift to Malaysia” is unlikely to make much impression on Najib’s supporters who would prefer to receive their share of the patronage cake in this present life rather than wait for the next one.

It looks like it has to be back to the drawing board for Mahathir if he is not to lose his last power game.