At 97, former Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad continues to display a strong fighting spirit after he revealed that he will be defending his Langkawi seat.
His Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) also has a bullish plan to contest in 120 seats nationwide in the 15th General Election.
Dr Mahathir, in a press conference yesterday, revealed that he was open to working with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the upcoming polls.
However, Associate Professor Dr Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk said the two-time premier must realise that his influence was “waning by the day”.
Azeem is optimistic that Dr Mahathir may possibly win the hearts of voters in Langkawi, but doubts, Anwar, or even Pakatan Harapan are willing to work with the seasoned politician.
“It’s a situation of ‘once bitten, twice shy’. There appears to be no consistency in what he (Dr Mahathir) is fighting for,” said Azeem, director of Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Centre for Policy Research and International Studies.
“Dr Mahathir stepped down in 2020 and cried wolf (that he was betrayed by those within Bersatu). Now, he is coming up with a different agenda, claiming he is fighting for the Malay cause.
“There is no consistency in what he is fighting for,” he added.
Azeem said Dr Mahathir’s agenda in the previous general election was all about getting rid of (Datuk Seri) Najib Razak. Today, that is no longer the case, as Najib is serving jail time after being found guilty of corruption in the SRC International Sdn Bhd scandal.
Dr Mahathir served as prime minister for the second time following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the 2018 general election.
He, however, stepped down in February 2020 following infighting within the coalition that led to the infamous ‘Sheraton Move’. Those who had turned their backs on Dr Mahathir then included Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Dr Mahathir said GTA, which he set up in August and is made up of a coalition of Malay groups, was willing to work with anyone that was against Umno – “even if it meant working with a traitor.”
“We have to think about who the bigger traitor is,” he said of his willingness to work with those who had betrayed him during his second term as prime minister.
Dr Mahathir added GTA plans to undo the wrongs done by the Najib administration.
Azeem said GE15 could possibly mark the end of Dr Mahathir’s party, Pejuang.
“Dr Mahathir has worked with Pakatan Harapan and Umno before. No one seems to know what he really wants.
“Even people (within GTA) are no ones in the political arena. (Datuk Seri) Ibrahim Ali is a failed politician,” said Azeem, referring to the Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) president.
“I don’t think (Datuk Seri) Mukhriz Mahathir will fare well if he contests in Kedah.
Azeem pointed out that Tan Sri Rais Yatim and Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar, who had joined Bersatu when Dr Mahathir set it up and led the party, albeit briefly, had not followed Dr Mahathir’s footsteps by leaving Bersatu.
Dr Mahathir set up Pejuang in August 2020. He insisted yesterday that Pejuang lost in the Melaka and Johor by-elections in November 2021 and March 2022 respectively, as the party was rather “new” then.
Two years after its formation, Azeem said Pejuang’s popularity is “non-existent”.
“Dr Mahathir said that GTA will be contesting in GE15 using Pejuang’s logo. But Pejuang’s popularity is almost zero. This (general election) will very much be the end of Pejuang,” Azeem said.
