The real target is not Zakir Naik but Mahathir

The only way they can topple Mahathir would be if the Malays-Muslims abandon him. The Chinese and Indians are solidly behind DAP and Anwar. Once the Malays-Muslims abandon Mahathir he can be isolated and then ousted. Then Anwar will take over as the new Prime Minister with DAP as the Deputy Prime Minister cum Finance Minister.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Why do the Chinese and Indians want the government to deport Dr Zakir Naik or extradite him to India? Who was the person who gave Zakir Naik his PR status and/or allowed him to live in Malaysia? Who is the person “behind” Zakir Naik or who gave him sanctuary or refuge in Malaysia?

Yes, the person who has to be “blamed” for allowing Zakir Naik to live in Malaysia is Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. And many Malays-Muslims, even those from PAS and Umno, who may hate DAP and Pakatan Harapan, are grateful to Mahathir for that. Hence Mahathir has huge support from the “anti-government” Malays for this gesture: they love Mahathir even if they may hate DAP-Pakatan Harapan.

DAP, and by extension Pakatan Harapan, needed Mahathir to face GE14 in May 2018 because they needed the Malay votes. Without Mahathir, DAP-Pakatan Harapan would not have won enough Malay votes to form the government. So, they had to “tolerate” Mahathir and allow him to become Prime Minister. If not, they would not have been able to defeat Umno-Barisan Nasional in May 2018.

But they would tolerate Mahathir and allow him to become Prime Minister for only a year or two. After that, Mahathir has to leave and Anwar Ibrahim would take over. And, to get DAP to support him to become Prime Minister or PM8, Anwar agreed that DAP would be given the post of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister.

And this is the part that Mahathir does not like. A Deputy Prime Minister cum Finance Minister would be more powerful than the Prime Minister. This means DAP instead of Anwar would be effectively running the country, a case of the tail wagging the dog. And that is why Mahathir is not keen for Anwar to take over just yet.

READ MORE HERE: Do Not Twist What Zakir Naik Said, Says Umno Sec-Gen Annuar Musa

As long as the Malays-Muslims from both sides of the political divide support Mahathir, there is nothing DAP and Anwar can do (and Mahathir’s stand on Zakir Naik unites the Malays-Muslims behind him). In fact, according to DAP’s and Anwar’s timetable, Mahathir was supposed to have gone three months ago but until today he is still the Prime Minister. Mahathir is proving to be unshakeable and not that easy to oust after all.

The only way they can topple Mahathir would be if the Malays-Muslims abandon him. The Chinese and Indians are solidly behind DAP and Anwar. Once the Malays-Muslims abandon Mahathir he can be isolated and then ousted. Then Anwar will take over as the new Prime Minister with DAP as the Deputy Prime Minister cum Finance Minister.

And that is why they are attacking Zakir Naik and are accusing him of saying what he did not say (see the video below of Zakir Naik’s talk in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, on 8th August 2019). They want the government to cancel Zakir Naik’s PR status and to kick him out of Malaysia. If no other country wants to take Zakir Naik then he would have to be sent back to India where he would end up in jail for a very long time.

The real target is not Zakir Naik but Mahathir

If Zakir Naik is deported, or worse, sent back to India, the Malays-Muslims will never forgive Mahathir. Mahathir would become the pariah of the Malay community. That would be the end of Mahathir and without a doubt Anwar will be able to take over as PM8 before the end of this year.

Anwar has been noticeably very silent. He may be overseas but that does not mean he cannot say anything. Anwar knows if he defends Zakir Naik the Chinese and Indians would turn against him and if he joins the call for Zakir Naik to be deported the Malays-Muslims would turn against him. So, Anwar is saying nothing.

But then that is typical Anwar. He wants both the Jews and the Arabs to support him — so he plays both sides of the field at the same time. In the Zakir Naik matter, Anwar is not saying whether he supports allowing Zakir Naik to stay in Malaysia or whether he supports the deportation of Zakir Naik. And Anwar knows if he plays this Zakir Naik issue properly he can use it to oust Mahathir and take over as PM8.

What Zakir Naik really said, which has been distorted by the Chinese and Indians