Politics on a treadmill

Ask the young people around us, how many actually know Anwar and Mahathir well enough, and whether these two old men understand how young Malaysians think? People born after 1990 know very little about Mahathir and Anwar. All that they know are two unfamiliar names and senile faces. The same goes for Muhyiddin and Uncle Lim.

Tay Tian Yan, Sin Chew Daily

Pakatan Harapan’s choice of candidate is yet to be fully revealed.

First, everyone was talking about Anwar Ibrahim, but as he was not available now, they went for his double, Kak Wan.

And then PPBM asked why must be Anwar and not Muhyiddin?

Muhyiddin had the experience, and he had left Umno because he wanted to go further from there.

And Pakatan wasn’t that happy: You only have one seat! Why make so much noise?

Moreover, Muhyiddin gives people an impression that he still retains much of Umno’s DNA. If he were to be made PM, wouldn’t we be back to square one?

Since Muhyiddin couldn’t get himself through, Mahathir came out and offered to be a “transitional” PM if there “the need arises”.

But, most people do not seem to buy Mahathir’s goodwill. Some argued, “This old fox finally shows his colors.”

Anyway, Dr Mahathir is already at a very advanced age of 92. If he really becomes our PM one day, he will most definitely set a world record as the oldest prime minister in human history.

Probably due to below-expectation response, Mahathir steered a sharp U-turn, saying he now supported Anwar as the next PM.

Anwar has won a lot of applause earlier by proclaiming he would not offer himself as the candidate for premiership.

During the recent Hari Raya break, Nurul Izzah and Mahathir had a secret meeting in London, and it was said the meeting was both about cooperation and the choice of PM.

There is skepticism inside Pakatan. How can the future of Pakatan and this country be in the hands of Anwar’s daughter and Mahathir?

Well, if the two families have decided to set aside their ill-feeling by persuading their people to support Anwar as PM, but again, we have to assume that Pakatan really wins the election this time.

Perhaps they can take cue from what Myanmar did, when Aung San Suu Kyi’s party won the election but she could not be president due to constitutional restrictions.

Under a special arrangement, Suu Kyi gave way to her confidant Htin Kyaw while she herself became “State Counselor”.

The whole world knows that this “Counselor” is the “de facto president” of Myanmar.

Anwar can become a de facto leader without assuming the position of prime minister, just like Suu Kyi, if a consensus is reached within Pakatan.

But the thing is: the situation here is different from Myanmar. Anwar is still behind bars, unlike Suu Kyi who is walking free.

Imagine during the first cabinet meeting ministers from different political parties do not agree on a number of policies, and PM Kak Wan, as usual, cannot make a decision.

With so many uncertainties in the opposition pact, how can it give people confidence to stand alongside them to topple the BN government?

Moreover, I have a feeling that all this appears to be the game of just a handful of people acting not in response to public needs.

Ask the young people around us, how many actually know Anwar and Mahathir well enough, and whether these two old men understand how young Malaysians think?

People born after 1990 know very little about Mahathir and Anwar. All that they know are two unfamiliar names and senile faces. The same goes for Muhyiddin and Uncle Lim.

In them we see only endless fights and outdated political thinking. Will young Malaysians pin their hopes on these old men to let them continue moving the nation on the treadmill?

This is one big question Pakatan Harapan needs to ask itself, one that entails its future destiny.

The same also puts BN to test.

Any side that is willing to transform itself will have better chances and will put more pressure on the opposite side.

The whole world is racing with the time — racing on the real track, not one on the treadmill.

While there is still time, why not pass the baton to new generation leaders, and hopefully this will give us the ammunition to do the much needed catching up.