Is Mahathir trying to kill Pakatan Harapan or Perikatan Nasional?

By Raja Petra Kamarudin Last updated Jul 14, 2020

And this is why Mahathir insisted on resigning and refused to withdraw his resignation and stay on as Prime Minster even when DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong persuaded him to do so. If he stayed on as Prime Minister, this meant Anwar would take over as PM8, and Mahathir did not want that to happen.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Muafakat Nasional is now Perikatan Nasional with Muhyiddin as Prime Minister

Sometimes it makes one wonder whether Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is trying to kill Perikatan Nasional or whether his real target is Pakatan Harapan?

What has been revealed thus far is that from the very beginning Mahathir had no intention of allowing Anwar Ibrahim to take over as Prime Minister. This was revealed by hardcore Mahathir supporter Wan Saiful Wan Jan. If what Wan Saiful said is true, that would explain why Mahathir has been doing what he did over the last two years or so.

Pakatan Harapan only wanted Mahathir to kill Umno, after which they do not need him anymore

One action that puzzled Malaysians is: why did Mahathir resign as Prime Minister in late February 2020? The answer to that question is actually quite simple and not really a mystery.

By May 2020, which would have been just two-and-a-half months later, Mahathir would need to hand the post of Prime Minister to Anwar. But if Mahathir was no longer Prime Minister, then he would not need to make way for Anwar to become PM8.

Hence it fit in to Mahathir’s plan of blocking Anwar from becoming Prime Minister by giving up the post of Prime Minister. If someone else became Prime Minister, then the deal to allow Anwar to take over as Prime Minister becomes null. Since Mahathir was no longer the Prime Minister, he no longer had the “power” to make way for Anwar to take over as Prime Minister.

DAP and PKR wanted Anwar, not Mahathir, as PM7

But Mahathir’s plan does not end there. He knows that DAP and PKR are behind Anwar. At best they can agree to Mahathir remaining Prime Minster until just the end of 2020. If they could, though, they wanted Mahathir out in February, or at the latest, May. But that was all they were going to “tolerate” from Mahathir.

So, what happens after that? Mahathir has an estimated RM100-200 billion stuck overseas, which he wants to bring home but so far cannot. He tried to bring that money home when Najib Tun Razak was Prime Minister but Najib blocked it, which is the main reason Mahathir ousted Najib. But after taking over as Prime Minister in May 2018, Mahathir could still not bring the money home because this time DAP blocked it.

Then there is the matter of his political dynasty and making Mukhriz a Prime Minister, maybe PM9 or PM10. If Anwar becomes Prime Minister those plans would be shattered.

If Anwar becomes Prime Minister, both Mahathir and Mukhriz are finished

Mahathir’s other concern is, once he steps down as Prime Minister, will Pakatan Harapan leave him alone? The only way Pakatan Harapan will continue to get support from the voters would be if they put Mahathir in jail for the many crimes he has committed. The most obvious of those crimes is the RM31.5 billion FOREX scandal, which both Lim Kit Siang and Anwar have said Mahathir is guilty of and should be jailed for.

The voters would never forgive Pakatan Harapan if they spare Mahathir. Mahathir must be made to pay for his crimes, which are far bigger than the 1MDB issue. How can they go to town with Najib and do nothing about Mahathir? This is something Pakatan Harapan would find difficult to explain.

Mahathir realises Pakatan Harapan will need to throw him under the bus for its own survival. And this means his children are going to be sacrificed as well. And Mukhriz becoming Prime Minister is as remote as expecting Anwar to reform himself by stopping all his buggering.

Pakatan Harapan is still waiting to punish Mahathir for the RM31.5 billion FOREX scandal

Yes, it would be easier to get Anwar to go straight than for Mukhriz to become Prime Minister. And this is why at all costs Anwar cannot become Prime Minister.

But the only way for Mukhriz to become Prime Minister would be if Parti Pribumi Bersatu or PPBM teams up with Muafakat Nasional either in an electoral pact, coalition or in a merger with Umno. As Pakatan Harapan, Mukhriz is a dead duck, as is Mahathir once he retires and hands power to Anwar.

And this is why Mahathir insisted on resigning and refused to withdraw his resignation and stay on as Prime Minster even when DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong persuaded him to do so. If he stayed on as Prime Minister, this meant Anwar would take over as PM8, and Mahathir did not want that to happen.

Did Mahathir bungle? Did he make a mistake? Did he miscalculate his moves? What do you think?

Did Mahathir blunder, thus allowing Muhyiddin to take over as Prime Minister?