Dr Mahathir, why don’t you contest in Kuala Kangsar?
RETURN TO POLITICS: Dr Mahathir’s attempts to oust Najib Razak as prime minister have been futile so far. At least, it seems so on the surface.
Kenneth Lee, The Ant Daily
Even his latest million “Citizens’ Declaration” signatures will not amount to much because the power and authority lie with Najib.
There are only two ways in which that power and authority can be taken away from Najib.
One, if Najib can be replaced as president of Umno, then he will automatically cease to be PM. But this will not happen because many warlords and others in Umno are firmly behind Najib. There is just no one in Umno who can challenge Najib for the presidency.
If Mahathir had remained in Umno, he could have at least influenced members or even have taken on Najib directly for the presidency. If there had been a duel between Mahathir and Najib for the Umno presidency, it would have been a clash of the titans, with advantage to Mahathir because he still commands loyalty and respect from many in Umno.
Two, the only other way to oust Najib is via the ballot box. The GE14, however, is still two years away and it looks like BN and Umno will be returned to power even with Najib leading the charge.
The outcome of the recent Sarawak state elections and the state of the Opposition, a motley group of bungling political parties, do not bode well for a change in government after the next GE.
If Mahathir is really serious, he needs to enter the political arena once again. That opportunity has just emerged in the form of the forthcoming by-election in Kuala Kangsar. If Mahathir were to stand as an independent or under Pakatan Harapan in Kuala Kangsar, the bastion of his close ally Rafidah Aziz, his win is certain regardless of who Umno may pit against him.
