Bane of exes with axes to grind

SO, Keir Starmer has quit. He left office two days ago, becoming the fifth British prime minister to leave office in just 10 years since David Cameron quit in June 2016 over the Brexit vote.

Cameron’s successor, Theresa May, fell in 2019, the colourful Boris Johnson was forced out after just over a year because of Covid-19 lockdown parties, Liz Truss lasted just 45 days, and Rishi Sunak suffered a crushing election defeat in 2024 to Starmer.

Now Starmer is gone too, after becoming the most unpopular prime minister in modern times, with newish MP Andy Burnham likely to take over.

What happens to these PMs when they leave?

Cameron and May now sit in the House of Lords and stay out of the limelight, just commenting on government policies in Parliament. Johnson is a columnist working on his memoirs, Truss is also an author but a bit reclusive, while Sunak remains an MP but works for Goldman Sachs.

Almost all of them are still with their parties, their convictions remain unchanged, and none of them has been active in politics or is seeking to regain his or her past glory.

If only we could say the same of our politicians.

In Malaysia, politics is an ambrosia men (and women, too) seem to never get enough of.

Our politicians never ride off into the sunset. Every time they fail, they just walk across the aisle to another party, change their colours and beliefs, and try to rise again – often while attacking their earlier party and “principles”.

We have seen that in the run-up to Johor elections being held today.

There was Puad Zakarshi. A member of Umno since 1980, he quit the party just before the elections. In Johor, he made an appearance at a Pakatan Harapan event, and seems to be on a warpath against his former party members.

He claims he is unhappy that Johor leaders are beholden to higher powers. His critics, however, say he is just angry that his son has not been fielded as a candidate.

On the Pakatan side, there is Marina Ibrahim. She was a hardworking and popular DAP state assemblyman but has quit the party, saying she is unhappy that some leaders are secretly backing disgraced former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The other story, though, is that she was asked to move to a harder-to-win constituency and was incensed at that.

Marina is also in attack mode against her former party, but to be fair to her, she has not jumped to any new party, and has even refused to seek election as an independent.

Not so former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli. After losing party elections, he left and formed his own party, ostensibly to fight for the causes he stands for. He too is in revenge mode, with his new party seeking to deny votes to his old friends who also claim to be fighting for the same causes that he is.

It's not exactly a brilliant idea. With both seeking the same demographics, the likelihood is that the opponents, who do not share their vision, will win. It will be a lose-lose. But that's politics, Malaysian style – where vengeance is sweeter than principles.

It's not just PKR or Umno. DAP has bitter exes too.

Take former Penang deputy chief minister P. Ramasamy. Since not being fielded as a candidate in 2023, he has been on the warpath against his old party, even forming a new party, Urimai.

Much of his vitriol is against former DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who he once described as “Emperor”.

But Lim himself has now become an “opposition leader” in Penang, a state led by his own party.

He has an ongoing row with his successor as state chief minister, Chow Kon Yeow. He has been at odds with so many of Chow's policies that the angry current Chief Minister once told him to "just sit down" at the state assembly.

The rift between the two could cost DAP heavily in the coming general elections.

If leaving behind a position as chief minister is hard, apparently, it’s harder when you have been prime minister. Those who have hit that pinnacle are also refusing to go away. Unlike in Britain, our ex-prime ministers are all keen to remain in the thick of the action.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is still there with Bersatu, trying to regain the power he once held.

Muhyiddin, who was once with Umno but teamed up with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to form Bersatu only to then join Perikatan Nasional, is now fighting with Perikatan partner PAS. The Islamist party, meanwhile, is trying to woo Barisan Nasional, led by Umno, whose avowed aims include a pardon for the jailed Najib.

Ismail Sabri, who took over as PM from Muhyiddin, is also in the fray in Johor but he, at least, has stayed put with Umno, although he holds no position at federal level.

Which brings us to that master politician Dr Mahathir himself.

The man, who turned 101 yesterday, is not about to go away. The ultimate “Ex from Hell”, he was responsible for bringing down the Barisan Nasional government he once led at one point. He hates PAS and DAP but has worked with both – and has also worked secretly against them.

The consummate politician will go to any lengths to fulfil his aims.

In his latest jaw-dropping tirade, he told Malays to vote only for Malays. Apparently, voting for non-Malay candidates will mean Malays will no longer have a land to call home.

Of course, it is nonsense.

Politicians who live off such untruths, hate, and racist rhetoric really need to retire, or be put out to pasture.

We really don't need disgruntled ex-political leaders coming back with vengeance in their hearts, and a disdain for the peace and unity of the people.