The Kuala Lumpur Traveler

Malaysakini’s report, Mahathir may return to center stage, is quite scary to say the least.

Even a foreign diplomat has his reservation…. the same report quoted:

“Mr Najib is a carbon copy of Dr Mahathir and we fear in his rise to power a possible return of iron-fisted rule and intolerance for dissent and curbs on he political opposition,” said a diplomat with a European mission, on condition of anonymity.

On the local front, only Zaid Ibrahim had the gut to speak his mind:

“Najib is smart and articulate but to change the course of Umno, he has to be brave and why would he take such a risk.

“Second, even if he wanted to, he would not be able to do it with Dr Mahathir around,” he said.

Asked whether that was because he thought Dr Mahathir was powerful or had a strong influence on Najib, Zaid - who resigned from the Cabinet recently after journalist Tan Hoon Cheng, Member of Parliament Teresa Kok and news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin were arrested under the Internal Security Act - said:

“He (Dr Mahathir) has a large group of friends, otherwise the Prime Minister (Abdullah) would not have been ‘thrown out’ just like he wanted.”

“Mahathirism was all control, control, control. He has a strong influence on the top Umno leaders who had to choose between doing his bidding or facing his wrath.

Source: Star Online

Mahathir had left a 20-odd years of legacy to Abdullah when he was forced to quit but unfortunately it was Pak Lah who had to bear the grudges of the people. Everything of what happened today was started by Mahathir, whether you like or not you have to accept that fact. Yes… it was Mahathir who had put Malaysia on the world map with his mega projects and outspoken personality but it was also Mahathir who had at the same time engineered Malaysia’s and UMNO/BN downfall. Pak Lah just made it worse and he is now forced to pass the baton to Najib, which according to Anwar Ibrahim is no better than Abdullah.

Come March 2009, it will be just the case of “terlepas dari mulut harimau tapi masuk mulut buaya” for Malaysians, especially if Mahathir returns as advisor, as quoted in the report:

“I welcome the departure of Abdullah and am ready to give advice to the new overnment,” Mahathir told local reporters after confirming that Abdullah as leaving.

Who had asked for his advice? Muhyiddin or Najib? Or both? Can the person who had created the problem fix the problem? Maybe… or maybe not.

Image credit: Malaysiakini