Another roller coaster ride ahead

THE last couple of days have been defined by powerful optics not seen since the fall of the Barisan Nasional government in May 2018.

The difference this time around is that the optics foreshadow the fall of the Pakatan Harapan administration – a flurry of political meetings, a convoy of limousines ferrying political leaders into Istana Negara for an audience with the King and former enemies turned allies converging at the Sheraton Hotel in Petaling Jaya on Saturday evening for what appeared to be a unity dinner.

After an intense day of rumours and speculation, the politicians who turned up for the dinner seemed to confirm that a new alignment was taking shape as former foes hugged each other like long-lost brothers.

It was the first time that those who signed statutory declarations to support Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad were gathered under one roof and it was seen as a show of strength to suggest that they had the numbers to form a new government.

It was quite apparent by then that PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali was one of the key movers in the unfolding drama.

Azmin played host at the unity dinner while Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was hosting a tahfiz session in his residence across town, slammed those moving to topple Pakatan as “PKR traitors”.

Life is stranger than fiction but politics is the strangest of them all.

And throughout this political roller coaster, Dr Mahathir, the man in the eye of the storm, hardly said a word to confirm or deny what was happening.

In fact, as the upheaval churned on into Sunday night, he spent the evening at home reportedly reading the day’s newspapers and turning in early.

He had also told the political leaders who convened at his house earlier in the afternoon that he would seek an audience with the King today because he wanted to brief top civil servants on the new development.

Meanwhile, journalists were running all over to keep up with the unfolding drama and to piece together the jigsaw puzzle.

But yesterday, the pieces appeared to have fallen into place.

Dr Mahathir tendered his resignation as Prime Minister, swiftly followed by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin pulling their party out of Pakatan while 10 MPs aligned to Azmin also announced their exit.

The government had collapsed just like that, or so it seemed.

But barely an hour after stepping down as Prime Minister, a terse press statement came from Dr Mahathir announcing his resignation as Bersatu chairman.

It was the first sign that something had gone amiss and this was followed by speculation that his son and deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman would also relinquish their posts.

It seemed like a crisis in the making.

No one could quite explain Dr Mahathir’s action and it was learnt that Muhyiddin rushed to placate his party boss.

This political coup d’etat was going to be anything but smooth.

Even more intriguing was the offer from DAP and Amanah for Dr Mahathir to stay on as Prime Minister, with these two parties slamming those who are trying to form a backdoor government.

They also declared support for Dr Mahathir when just a few days ago they had tried to make him give way for Anwar to become the prime minister.

Interestingly, none of the parties involved has called for a snap election.

It has been a confusing turn of events and pictures of a sullen faced Dr Mahathir leaving his Mines residence in a Proton Perdana for the palace seemed to confirm that all was not well.

Mukhriz and Senator Datuk Marzuki Yahaya, who were there to send him off, looked equally solemn.

There have been several “theories” about Dr Mahathir’s temperamental moment, none of which could be reliably verified.

One version said he was upset to hear that the Umno side wanted those whom Dr Mahathir saw as “corrupt figures” to be given posts.

Another version said it was disagreements over who should be the next deputy prime minister.

Meanwhile, the uproar over the takeover of what Amanah president Mohamed Sabu called “entering by the window and the backdoor” has begun with individuals and groups slamming the move as immoral and against democratic principles.

The vitriol on social media is in overdrive, with many calling on the political parties to seek a fresh mandate from the people.

Malaysia is in for another roller coaster ride, assuming the new government that may be formed soon will last till the next general election.

If the Pakatan greenhorns had trouble learning the ropes, so will the new greenhorns who are trying to form a new government.

Like the one that has just crumbled, the would-be new coalition also comprises strange bedfellows who until recently were fighting like cats and dogs, be it in Parliament or the media.

Dr Mahathir had even described some of them as sampah (rubbish) but as they say, there are no permanent friends or foes – or sampah – in politics.

He may be exchanging one set of problems for another.

The high drama is still unfolding but the signs are that Dr Mahathir, who was the fourth and seventh prime minister, is likely to become the eighth.

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of The Star.