In need of a transfusion

THEY say “old soldiers never die, they just fade away”. Well, to paraphrase that, “dinosaur Malaysian politicians never die or even fade away”.

Earlier this week I attended a discourse with a 40something politician who some in the Opposition crowd consider a potential prime minister. However, this person was realistic that “dinosaur politicians” will not make way for new blood in the 15th General Election (GE15). For this person, the fight for fresh blood in Malaysian politics will only begin with GE16 as the party will have to wait for the dinosaur politician – who is unlikely to become PM – to retire.

It is refreshing to listen to comparatively youngish politicians who are not in politics for the sake of power. They want to bring true change to Malaysia. For them, it is about their political ideology.

Unfortunately for them, though, the dinosaur politicians want a final attempt at the premiership, or at least to get back into power.

GE15 will be when the rakyat can use the ballot box to tell these ageing bulls that they have been in politics – and some in power –for too long. That it’s time for them to give way to politicians who are comfortable wearing T-shirts and jeans when they go to the ground to meet voters.

Coincidentally after this interesting meeting with the 40something politician, reports emerged that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was seeking the help of Parti Pejuang Tanah Air chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to regain the prime minister’s post.

“I did not know what to say to him. I stepped down from the prime minister’s post because of what Muhyiddin did. He backstabbed me. The person he backstabbed isn’t even dead yet,” Mahathir reportedly said in response.

The Langkawi MP and former Bersatu chairman was referring to the 2020 Sheraton Move which forced the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.

It looks like Muhyiddin isn’t planning on fading away if he’s still angling for a second stab at the PM’s post in GE15.

After the Mahathir revelation, Pakatan chairman and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim then revealed that he was also in an ongoing discussion with Muhyiddin, who is also Perikatan Nasional chairman, over GE15. However, Anwar said they never discussed supporting Muhyiddin to be prime minister again.

Contrary to what Anwar claimed, though, PKR and Bersatu insiders told me their parties have discussed Anwar’s “big tent” concept for the Opposition.

Now, arguably, even though Bersatu is in Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government currently, in GE15, it will likely be in opposition to Barisan Nasional (comprising Umno, MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah). So for GE15, the dream team for the Opposition would be the GE14 formula: PKR, DAP, Amanah and Bersatu defeated Barisan in the 2018 polls.

“But it is unlikely that PKR and Bersatu can be part of an electoral pact or a coalition as Anwar and Muhyiddin both want to be PM,” the insiders told me.

Anwar is likely to be Pakatan’s prime minister-candidate in GE15 despite some in the Opposition crowd and undecided voters thinking he should fade away. They feel that Anwar has missed his chance to be prime minister, and he should give way to fresh blood.

But it is unlikely that Anwar will do so. Like Muhyiddin, he will keep trying to fulfil his dream of becoming PM.

In the lead up to GE14, the Opposition campaigned that they would bring change to Malaysia if Pakatan was voted into power. For example, they were against corruption they said – to be exact, kleptocracy. A majority of Malaysians believed them and voted accordingly. But now, the Opposition’s supporters have given up on them – as evident in its losses in Sabah, Melaka, Sarawak and Johor state polls – as some of these politicians are dinosaurs.

The Opposition crowd discovered that while these politicians used corruption (specifically, the 1MDB financial scandal) to bring down Barisan, it didn’t necessarily mean they were actually against kleptocracy.

Some of these leaders were kleptocrats themselves based on what the Opposition leaders accused them of when they (the alleged kleptocrats) were in power. But once they were on the same team, the Opposition leaders forgot the accusations that their former enemies in the government were corrupt.

The feedback I am getting from voters, especially those who voted for the first time in GE13 or GE14, is that they realise that politicians – regardless of whether they are in government or Opposition – are in politics for their own self-interest, to be in power.

A big question for Umno is who will lead the party in GE15. Will it be Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi or former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak? Both are facing corruption charges; Najib has been convicted of one charge which he is appealing.

Or will Umno be led by deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, a “fresh blood” politician in national politics, or perhaps old hand Ismail Sabri?

I’m getting feedback that the undecided voters don’t want dinosaur politicians to lead the party of their choice. They would go out to vote if these dinosaur politicians faded away.

But GE15 will likely be the war of the political dinosaurs.

I believe most will be vanquished, though. So, hopefully, GE16 will be the election in which a “fresh blood” politician can become prime minister. But can the country afford to wait that long?