IF there’s one thing the Umno leadership needs to accept – no matter how painful – is that it’s now in the opposition. They got kicked out, and that’s life.

So, for God’s sake, please start acting and thinking like an opposition party. It may be hard after 60 years being at the helm, since the party has enjoyed the privileges of power, which can be intoxicating.

Suddenly, the motorcades are gone, invitations to events have trickled, telephones are not going off the hook, and the formal suits have stayed in the closet.

Umno leaders should forget about “doing deals”. That was precisely what got the party into trouble – those dubious deals.

Some Umno leaders find it hard to be “out of power”. They need to be in power – even if it means playing second fiddle, or even placing third or fourth in the pecking order. But here’s the bad news – Pakatan Harapan doesn’t need Umno.

They need to stop leveraging on the spin that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad needs them to keep Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at bay. It sounds good for them, but the danger is that Umno MPs may start believing in their inflated sense of self-worth.

The PH government has the numbers. They have formed government and are running the country.

Governments in other countries, such as the Kuomintang party, which founded Taiwan, is now in the opposition but was the ruling party for decades, amassing huge assets. And like Umno, it also got embroiled in corruption.

The KMT maybe be broken now, but it still has plenty of assets. When the party fled to Taiwan after losing the civil war to the communists in 1949, it took millions in gold, bonds and antiques, all of which became part of the foundations of the party’s fortunes.

It also inherited assets left by the Japanese during their 50 years ruling Taiwan, but the KMT has come under investigation for public and private assets it seized after arriving in the country.

With its assets recently frozen, it had to cut staff from 800 to under 400 personnel because of insufficient funds. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Then, there is the Indian National Congress, founded in 1885, and which ruled India for 60 years, yet today, is in the opposition and struggling to remain relevant.

In Britain, the Conservative and Labour parties have been voted in and out of government. Amazingly, in all circumstances, even when alliances were made with smaller parties, the loser ended up accepting the people’s verdict and simply worked towards getting re-elected.

So, it is terribly embarrassing to see how Umno leaders crawled to Dr Mahathir, seeking advice on how to keep his former party alive. I mean, why would he even want to see Umno remain intact?

If that’s not enough, Umno had to use its usual trump cards of race and religion as reasons for the formation of a unity government, comprising mainly Malays and Muslims, to safeguard the interests of the community – after billions of ringgit vanished!

It’s also incomprehensible to be telling Umno leaders in Kelantan and Terengganu, who have fought against PAS since Umno’s formation, that they now must work with the Islamist party.

And in the same breath, try to persuade what’s left of the Barisan Nasional component parties that it is merely trying to reach an understanding with the fellow opposition party.

Umno and PAS are supposed to represent different things. Umno is Malay and Muslim, but is supposed to be moderate, inclusive and has shared power with the MCA and MIC, even in Malay-dominated constituencies.

Of course, these Barisan component parties don’t understand what’s going on because Umno members themselves are clueless about this purported deal with PAS.

And why should PAS want to share power with Umno? It has control of two states. It has exuberantly introduced whipping and gender segregation at public events again, making the two states look like some extremist Middle East country.

The party is happy to equate liberalism with open sex, hedonism, LGBT and everything else it deems sins. And can we be blamed if we feel that Umno is happily singing the same tune and sharing the same ignorance of what liberalism means? And now, we even have a new term – super liberalism. Go figure.

And why shouldn’t non-Muslims feel resentment for PAS when its president questioned Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for attending gatherings involving other faiths, or for the PKR president-elect to contest in a multi-racial constituency?

If Umno chooses to work with a party like PAS, then it’s heading down a slippery slope, if it’s purely about retaining or winning the Malay votes, because the party is bound to be grilled for what it stands for. Surely, it can’t be the same as PAS.

The DAP and PKR had been in the opposition for years, even decades, with their leaders paying a heavy price for their political convictions, but they continued with their struggles. We don’t have to agree with their politics and what they stand for, but credit where it’s due for their convictions.

And here we are – Umno suffers one defeat, and it’s running around like a headless chicken, which is how the party is being described now.

If it wants to get its house back in order, Umno first needs to reform itself. It is a flawed product, but not entirely a rejected or expired item.

It must appear an alternative. The voters are testing the PH government to see if it’s any good. Why not? After all, they gave the Alliance and Barisan a good 60 years, and they became arrogant and corrupt.

The voters are basically the customers, but Umno forgot that detail and expected the customers to be grateful, which is ironic. But that was exactly how Umno treated its customers.

Malaysians would like to see Umno leaders stop acting like big shots (which they no longer are), admit their mistakes and excesses of the past and, step down from their pedestal and be ordinary Malaysians.

Surely, we want leaders who can speak the languages of the people, understand their needs and sentiments, and just be one of us.

They ought to know that we are tired of having to address them by their titles and being expected to line up to kiss their hands. And for some bizarre reason, we wonder, too, why their identity cards need to carry their fathers’ titles!

So, we now have Tan Sri Awang Ibrahim bin Tan Sri Osman Tengah. If you don’t believe me, check the Mykads of most Umno members.

That’s how ridiculously far we have allowed this scheme of grandiosity to go with our obsession with titles. Now, it’s refreshing to see Cabinet ministers with no fancy titles.

We are watching all these newbies, so, don’t try to con us with pictures of them flying economy class, especially during the first year, and then subsequently, and quietly, enjoying the perks of power.

It’s obvious that the corrupt show their greedy selves in the second term of office.

But all is not lost for Umno. It has 49 MPs and that’s a substantial number. It must come across as an opposition worthy of being voted back into power, or it can continue to use the faces of political minnows, with their aggressive and irrational behaviour that is incongruous with the New Malaysia. It looks like Umno hasn’t learnt yet.

If the leaders can’t think well, then, it has to set up a really good think-tank capable of drafting the best papers and sound bites for Barisan leaders, and even produce policy papers that will put the party in good light.

Unlike the other component parties, Umno is still able to retain some very good youth leaders who can articulate their thoughts well, and with good command of Bahasa Malaysia and English. These fresh faces must surely be in the forefront.

If the warlords who run the divisions continue to have their way – now that the easily available funds are drying up quickly – then the demise of Umno will be near, and if they are still looking for deals, then it will be even closer.

WE may have heralded a New Malaysia, with the euphoria still lingering, but more than three months have passed since the general election which saw the Barisan Nasional government crushed.

A new social landscape, perhaps, but Old Politics still haven’t faded away. As much as most of us loathe the politics of race and religion, the practice is a numbers game.

The politicians who have mastered the game understand the stakes, and they skilfully manoeuvre into positions to ensure their audience is convinced that their interest is protected.

The figures speak for themselves – about 95% of Chinese voters chose Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the May 9 general election and more than 85% supported the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat coalition in 2013, revealed a report. About 70-75% of Indians voted for PH.

However, only 25-30% of Malays voted for PH, the report added, citing figures from Merdeka Center. It said 35-40% of Malays voted for Barisan Nasional while 30-33% supported PAS.

Although a higher percentage of Malays voted for PH in Johor and in west coast states including Melaka and Negri Sembilan, PH’s overall Malay support dwindled because of its weak performance in Kelantan and Terengganu.

The report, quoting analysts, said the split Malay vote means PH leaders must tread carefully when framing issues deemed sensitive to the Malays, if they expect to gain their trust.

And Umno and PAS will try even harder to woo the Malays by using the familiar baits of race and religion, they said.

Explicitly aware of the apprehension of many Malays, especially over the appointments of non-Malays in key government positions, and the notion that the DAP has an upper hand in the PH government, the Prime Minister and other leaders had to convene for a special bumiputra meeting.

They read the ground sentiment well – that only 25-30% of Malays voted for PH, but which was enough to kick out Barisan, and if this tiny fraction switches allegiance from PH, there’s bound to be trouble ahead.

Barisan, particularly Umno, also understands this figure’s significance, and has been quick to align itself with PAS in the name of race and religion. That’s simply because there is a huge Malay electoral market that buys into such a line of politics.

So, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had to provide the assurance that the Government was not out to persecute bumiputras, but instead, wants to ensure that a fair and equitable solution is in place for the betterment of the community.

He reminded the Malays that in the past, many business opportunities had been given to bumiputras under the New Economic Policy, but many sold their contracts and approved permits (APs) for healthy profits.

“As long as we look for shortcuts, we will not succeed,” he said at the Future of the Bumiputra and Nation Congress 2018 earlier this month.

He said such handicaps didn’t help them in the end because they continued to be paupers after spending all the money instead of investing, while those who retained their contracts and APs became successful.

Last week, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made a clarion call on the importance of Bahasa Malaysia and reaffirmed the position of the national language at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, the government body responsible for regulating the use of the Malay language and Malay-language literature.

The incoming PKR president urged all leaders and MPs to buck up on their Bahasa Malaysia, chiding those who had not made the effort to master the national language.

“Whether you like it or not, parliamentary proceedings are in BM. Proficiency in the language is crucial.”

But he also said that emphasising BM did not “mean that other languages such as English and Chinese were marginalised but must be mastered as second languages.”

This was a master politician at work, making sure to cover his bases.

Also, he warned of the existence of a so-called “super liberal” group in the country, which he said strongly expressed its demands and pushed for their implementation.

Without making specific references, he said the people from this super liberal group also denounced the views of those opposed to it.

“When we criticise them, we are attacked as if this country belongs to them. I tell them that we represent the majority in the country and we argue that in this country, we are also entitled to voice our views.

“They think that we must accept their views. If I touch a little on Islam and the Malays, they will raise an argument.”

Certainly, Anwar’s words would earn him brownie points among the conservative Malays, who aren’t necessarily rural voters. In fact, they are urban Malay professionals who aren’t happy with what they perceive as radical changes to the status quo in the name of New Malaysia.

Even the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, voiced his annoyance after an official letter by an Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) member written in Chinese and English went viral.

Sultan Ibrahim decreed that any official letter involving the state government or local authorities in Johor must be written in the national language.

“If the councillor does not know how to do his or her job, just resign. This is my warning do not make this mistake again.

“All official letters involving the state government or local councils that use the official letterhead must be written in BM.”

It was later clarified that what appeared on social media “did not paint the full picture” as the councillors had, in fact, written in three languages – English, Malay, and Chinese.

Dr Mahathir has also found it necessary to do a balancing act. First, he issued a statement saying the Cabinet felt the caning of the two women convicted of lesbian sex in Terengganu gives a bad impression of Islam, and that it “did not reflect the quality of justice and sympathy in Islam”.

But he was also quick to follow up with an assurance, especially to the Malays, that Malaysia doesn’t accept LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) practices and same-sex marriages as the country eschews these Western values.

He said even though the government respects the recommendations made by the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), it would not accept “everything”.

Both Anwar and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail have also made their stand clear, although their critics have attempted to put them in conflicting positions.

The LBGT issue is a big “no” within the Malay community, likewise with many Malaysians of other faiths. It is tolerated but not to be advocated – that is the line.

And Malay PH politicians walking on the fine line of 30% votes understand that they need to retain this support, and likely, increase it, which will hopefully take shape in the form of new voters turning 18 years old by the next GE.

The New Malaysia has given rise to new hopes, new expectations and new ways of doing things, but in the end, some things will just never change – at least, not overnight – and until then, our countrymen and women must learn to handle all of this more tactfully to pave the way ahead.

Raising eyebrows: Both Hishammuddin and Dr Ahmad Zahid have met up with Dr Mahathir since GE14.

Stranger things have happened post-general elections, but losers seeking the winning party’s advice is certainly curious. 

POLITICS in Malaysia gets stranger with each passing day. As the adage goes, truth is stranger than fiction, and it seems to apply well here.

That saying simply means sometimes what happens in real life is more bizarre than anything that could have been imagined.

Shortly after the general election in May, where the Barisan Nasional was trounced and consigned to the scrap heap, then acting Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi raised eyebrows when he called on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed for advice.

His party had just been hammered, yet he decided to consult the new Prime Minister and leader of Pakatan Harapan. It was so peculiar for him to do that.

Dr Mahathir revealed that Zahid “wanted to know how to manage Umno. So, I was frank and said Umno had betrayed the Malays.”

Yes, at least, that’s what the man said. Zahid wanted advice on how to manage Umno and he got it from the best man possible.

“I reminded him that we formed Umno to help the Malays, but that Umno had changed and prioritised self-wealth.

“Because of that, Umno is now hated. It’ll be hard for Umno to recover. Once seen as noble, now viewed with disgust,” Dr Mahathir apparently said.

Incredibly, Zahid was not the only loser who queued up to acquire Dr Mahathir’s wisdom. He was, in fact, the third opposition party leader, believe it or not.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu president Datuk Abang Johari Abang Openg made their moves earlier.

Forgive our naivety in politics, but are we missing something here? These guys had just lost the elections, leaving their parties in disarray (at least Umno), and the first thing they do is run to the man who defeated them for advice on how to run their houses?

Are we reading this right? But then, this is Bolehland, and what is regarded strange can easily be real.

Last week, another top Umno name – Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein Onn – also scooted off to see the nation’s foremost nonagenarian.

It’s uncertain if the purpose of his visit was, likewise, to learn how to save Umno and run the party.

Honestly, why would Dr Mahathir, even as former president, want to save Umno?

No one would have known better had Datuk Kadir Jasin, the media adviser to the Prime Minister, not let the cat out of the bag about the meeting.

“Assalamuailaikum Datuk Seri Hishammuddin, nak tanya, semalam pergi Putrajaya jumpa siapa? (I wish to ask, who did you meet in Putrajaya yesterday?)” Kadir wrote.

Presumably caught off guard by the revelation, Hishammuddin, who is also a former Umno vice-president, however said the meeting was only to listen to Dr Mahathir’s plans for the country’s future.

And last week, Perlis Umno deputy chairman Zahidi Zainul Abidin claimed Umno and Barisan Nasional MPs had met Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia leaders to discuss the possibility of a union.

Zahidi, who is Padang Besar MP, said the purpose of the discussions was to seek the “best option to save the Malays”.

“We are trying to discuss with PPBM to save the Malays. We want PAS, but PAS is not ready, so we are looking for the best option because we want the best for the Malays,” he said at Umno’s headquarters.

According to him, Barisan MPs met PPBM leaders two to three months ago, but he refused to disclose details. However, he said: “We are planning to merge with PPBM but we do not want to quit Umno.

“Some of the MPs agreed to discuss with PPBM while some agreed to discuss with PKR. So, we will see which one is best. We have met PPBM.”

Dispensing with the bravado and hyperbole, what Zahidi is trying to convey is simply that Umno is in trouble and going nowhere. We want PPBM or PKR to hold us, we can’t just quit Umno, but without the two parties, we are dead.

And of course, the narrative must be about saving the Malays – not saving ourselves politically!

Meanwhile, in Bolehland, the Chinese and Indians are upset that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is said to be drumming up support by doing a devil’s deal with some Umno MPs to overthrow Dr Mahathir by November in a despicable and devious plot.

Why November? Well, that’s when Parliament meets, but that’s what a friend of a friend told me. I didn’t ask why November either because that seemed like an insignificant detail.

So, here’s when many of us become confused: who is cosying up to Umno? Is it Dr Mahathir to checkmate the ever-impatient Anwar, or is it really Anwar himself? Now, this is when the truth gets stranger than fiction, or so it seems.

But dig deeper, and it sounds more like a group of Umno MPs – who find the gravy train now derailed, and without benefit in sight – cooking up a juicy story to let the various insecure factions in Pakatan Harapan fight over them, for what they are still worth as MPs.

And if nothing is offered, what can be more pleasing to the egos than be heralded as the saviour of the race and religion at the party assembly for their undying proclamation to the party, race and religion?

But don’t be too quick to dismiss the story. It’s only a story, so far, and it hasn’t ended. Whether it’s fiction or otherwise, it will always be strange because this is Malaysia.

It’s only in Malaysia where one runs off to his enemy for advice! Malaysia Truly Amazing.

THE Port Dickson by-election has unexpectedly become a controversy for some PKR leaders and the party’s supporters.

Suddenly, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has found himself being openly challenged by some of the top brass for his purported failure to consult them on the selection of the coastal town for a by-election, and why his wife or daughter weren’t asked to vacate their seats, instead.

For sure, this is unfamiliar ground to any leader – to be openly challenged. Call it democracy, but it looks more like an open rebellion.

Anwar is now being accused of nepotism and those who have defiantly questioned this move include prominent lawyer S. Ambiga, who is closely linked to Pakatan Harapan.

Even the issue of race has cropped up in social media, with some, hiding behind anonymity, demanding why an Indian MP had to be sacrificed for the PKR president.

Others have suggested that Anwar is an impatient man, and that he should wait until the next general election in five years’ time for his turn. Perhaps he could be named senator, first, and save the big bucks needed for a by-election.

However, some of these politicians have suddenly developed amnesia, it seems, now that they hold positions in government.

They seem to have forgotten the pledge made to Malaysians was for Anwar to be pardoned and released from his incarceration.

In fact, that’s the basis of the PKR struggle – to free Anwar, who had to live with the unofficial title of de facto PKR leader. He was the party boss, even while languishing behind bars for 11 years.

Love him or loathe him, only Anwar can glue the PH government in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s absence.

Not any PH leader, including Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Mohamed Sabu, Lim Guan Eng, or, for the time being, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, could manage it.

It’s not about competence or ability, but about holding a government together. All his harshest critics, including those who questioned his trustworthiness, would admit it, even if reluctantly.

Anwar is also the only one who can man the fort against opponents like Umno, PAS and the right wingers who wield race and religion like weapons.

He was the man who issued press statements from jail, as we wondered how he did it.

And, of course, we remember all those street protests under different names and colours, all essentially for a singular purpose – to free him. So, it must be surprising to Anwar, who would probably feel slighted, to learn about the rebellious remarks made by some self-important key personalities for his need to first earn their approval and then consult them to contest in a by-election.

Suggestions of deceit abound, and no wonder, what with decisions shrouded in secrecy and lacking transparency.

And there we were thinking it was clear that Anwar would contest a by-election, get into Parliament and wait for his turn to be Prime Minister. Even premier Dr Mahathir has proclaimed unequivocally that he would hand the torch to Anwar and honour the agreement by the four partners of the Pakatan Harapan alliance to step down after two years.

So, the question is, how can Anwar be the successor if he is not an MP?

It’s pointless being the PM-in-waiting if one isn’t elected. We could not give two hoots about the charade and antics of politicians, who have the audacity to tell us they dislike politicking. We want certainty, stability and succession planning.

Dr Mahathir is already 93 years old, and it is just biologically and physically impossible to expect him to be PM until the next general election. We can’t allow the rigours of the job to take their toll on him.

A video of him walking wobbly recently circulated, so surely, we want him to remain healthy. However, he is still a mere mortal.

Anwar being named successor and elected into Parliament will provide better comfort because otherwise, an ugly scramble for power is bound to ensue, which we have no wish to see.

We don’t really care if Anwar chooses Port Dickson, Puncak Borneo or Timbuktu, because we are all suffering from the fatigue of election fever, which never seems to cease in Malaysia as they come in all forms and temperatures.

A by-election costs money. Also, it is in poor taste to ask a serving MP to step down to make way for Anwar. Most of us might hate the idea, but progression needs to take place.

Let’s be openly ignorant about this, because up until last week, most of us had never heard of Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, with due respect. Of course, we didn’t even know he was a retired first admiral. But those who attended his ceramah during GE14 said he never failed to remind them he served in the navy for 38 years.

Danyal has been recognised as the “voice” of the navy, and for them, his loss means no one will champion their cause.

Once Anwar is elected MP and eventually becomes Prime Minister, the full breadth of his ability will be on display, courtesy of his authority and power as a leader. Every constituency would want the serving PM as their MP, so the same can be said for PD. Surely, they can see the preferential treatment accorded to Langkawi and Pekan.

Then there is the issue of family dynasty, but let’s not get into this because the Lim brood has two MPs and a senator, the Karpal clan has an MP and two state assemblymen, and, of course, there’s the PM and his Mentri Besar son.

Malaysians are familiar with this situation, and how most of these individuals got elected is proof that it has never been an issue.

But we should create a racket if Anwar is PM and Nurul Izzah becomes a Minister while Dr Wan Azizah still remains Deputy Prime Minister.

You can count on your bottom ringgit, though, that’s neither going to happen, nor be allowed to happen.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim

THE acrimonious relationship between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – when they were Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister back in the day – is well-documented, and as a reporter covering the feud, I had a ring-side seat of the fight.

I remember joining Dr Mahathir and his entourage on a trade mission to South America in September 1997.

Malaysia was grappling with a financial crisis, the stock market had plunged, its currency was under attack and the skies were shrouded in haze.

It seemed like things couldn’t get any darker.

But worse it got when the relationship between its two leaders went terribly sour over how the country should tackle the financial crisis.

The South American visit was the longest official overseas engagement during Dr Mahathir’s first tenure as prime minister.

And the knives which had been drawn by then made the assign­ment feel even longer.

During the trip, a few ministers obviously wanted to “apple polish” the PM by doing their best to run Anwar down – all within earshot of reporters, amazingly.

One Umno leader waved a copy of the now-defunct Asiaweek magazine – which pictured Anwar riding a jet ski on the cover – and loudly complained that Anwar was a man in a hurry, and even promised to gather supporters to turn up at the airport for Dr Mahathir’s arrival.

My good friend, Johan Jaafar, now Tan Sri, was most uncomfortable when the air on board the chartered flight became toxic.

He was editor of Utusan Malaysia, which at the time was probably the most influential newspaper in the country.

In his own words, “I was famously fired three months before Anwar got the axe. I was guilty by association.”

Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister on Sept 2, 1998 and as deputy Umno president the following day.

I was at the Putra World Trade Centre with other reporters from every media on Sept 3.

And that marked the beginning of the reformasi movement.

Along with my journalist brothers and sisters, I literally camped outside his home, soaked to the bone in the rain.

It’s funny now to recall how we predicted a short lifespan for the uprising.

How wrong we were.

Anwar is a born fighter and he’s probably the most charismatic Malaysian leader I’ve ever known.

He mobilised thousands onto the streets and had powerful international leaders on his side.

He has gone through the “black eye” episode, beatings, jail sentence, sex video scandal and sordid sodomy trials – not once, but twice – and survived it all. (Anwar was assaulted after his arrest on Sept 20, 1998, causing him to appear in court with a black eye. Former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor was eventually charged with the assault and received a two-month jail sentence. He later apologised to Anwar and his family.)

More incredibly, his wife – Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail – stood by him, defended him and filled in for him as party president.

That’s another astonishing story by itself.

Fast forward to 2018. Dr Mahathir is surely the glue that binds for the ruling coalition.

Without him, it wouldn’t have been possible for Pakatan Harapan to win the general election and, without PKR and DAP, Dr Mahathir wouldn’t have had the structure and machinery to do likewise.

He held the key to reach many rural areas, including the Felda seats, which tipped the balance.

It was the massive historic win which led to Anwar being released from prison and subsequently pardoned.

Basically, the unimaginable happened and now, another stranger-than-fiction scenario is about to play out.

And again, there is plenty of cynicism and disbelief.

So, what Dr Mahathir said last week is important.

On record, for the first time, he said he would honour an agree­ment by the four parties of the Pakatan Harapan for him to step down after two years, and hand the country’s leadership to Anwar.

I am told there is a written agreement, but what’s more significant is that he has said so very clearly and in no uncertain terms, that it is going to be passed on to Anwar.

“I am confident that he is now more mature and much more experienced,” Dr Mahathir said at a gathering in a hotel with Malaysians living in Brunei.

He was responding to a question from a guest who voiced concern about history repeating itself on the choice of successor.

This should put an end to the conspiracy theories that PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali was his preferred choice as successor, or that Dr Mahathir intended to stay longer than two years and wouldn’t honour the agreement.

Even after Dr Mahathir’s open endorsement of Anwar as his replacement, there were still lingering doubts for some.

Former Umno MP Datuk Tawfik Tun Ismail said he was expe­riencing a déjà vu moment with the current political landscape, and with the banter between government and party leaders.

Referring to statements made by both Dr Mahathir and Anwar, Tawfik said the current back and forth was reminiscent of the time leading up to when Anwar was ousted from the government.

“Listening to what is said and what is denied, it’s almost like listening to what Anwar and Dr Mahathir said many, many years ago.

“I support you, you support me, and next day, you know one is killed,” he said, referring to Anwar’s sacking by Dr Mahathir in 1998.

In politics, a week can be a long time, what more two years.

However, age is not on Dr Mahathir’s side.

After all, he is already 93, so the punishing demands of the top job will take its toll on him.

He is truly doing a tremendous national service for Malaysia and we must be indebted to this incredible man for his tenacity. But he is also only human.

He needn’t take on this back-breaking job of cleaning up the government and economy when it will be easier for Anwar to do so when he takes over the reins instead.

Anwar has certainly grown much wiser and has mellowed, demonstrating patience and constraint, particularly with his constant urging for Dr Mahathir to be given room to decide.

But Anwar is not getting any younger either. He has waited long enough. He must get himself elected as a Member of Parliament soon.

To be known as a PM-in-waiting means nothing really, so he needs to be an MP before he can be appointed prime minister by the ruling coalition.

Let’s not picture this, but should something unfortunate happen to Dr Mahathir, Anwar cannot assume any role or position unless he is an MP.

There is nothing unusual because there is a process of succession planning, even at company level, and as the president of the party with the largest number of seats within the PH alliance, it’s only rightful Anwar succeed Dr Mahathir.

In just three months, the year will come to an end. The motion of succession will begin soon, and while fate decides everything, as early as next month, Anwar will take his earliest steps to fulfilling his destiny.

Alarm bells: Dr Mahathir caused a stir across China and Hong Kong when he said foreigners were banned from buying residential units in the US100bil (RM410bil) Forest City project in Johor.

ANY journalist who has had the pleasure of covering a press conference by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will tell you that he is a delight because the Prime Minister is so quotable, and his witty and trademark deadpan sarcasm provides the best news stories.

Two decades on, he has made a return to helm the country’s top post and remains very much the character we’ve come to know.

Brimming with confidence, he is never guarded or cautious, unlike some other politicians. He can deliver a speech from prepared text, but Dr Mahathir is at his best when he’s spontaneous.

He openly says what’s on his mind and in his heart, and sometimes, does so impulsively. That perhaps sums up what he has gotten himself into lately.

Dr Mahathir has never shied away from any questions from reporters no matter how provocative, but he needs to rein himself in sometimes.

There is really no need for him to weigh in on the issue, particularly when it involves bilateral relations with China, a situation which can now best be described as delicate.

Last week, he triggered alarm bells across China and Hong Kong when he said foreigners – as good as singling out mainland Chinese – were banned from buying residential units in the US$100bil (RM410bil) Forest City project in Johor.

Most Malaysian businessmen have also expressed concern and discontent at the remark.

“One thing is certain, that city that is going to be built cannot be sold to foreigners,” Dr Mahathir told a news conference here.

“We are not going to give visas for people to come and live here,” he was quoted in an interview with Reuters.

He then added that the government would tear down the perimeter wall around the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) in Pahang, which has been described as the “Great Wall of China.”

He rattled off all this right after his official visit to China, which isn’t likely to go down well with Beijing.

While the Chinese government has been able to exercise restraint and patience with Dr Mahathir’s outbursts, sentiments on social media – in which the Chinese government has become more sensitive – are exacerbating the situation.

Dr Mahathir, who visited Beijing for the first time since he took shots at Chinese investment ahead of a May election win, told China that he supports free trade, so long as it’s fair. Everyone needs to remember that countries are at different stages of development, he said.

“You don’t want a situation where there’s a new version of colonialism happening because poor countries are unable to compete with rich countries in terms of just, open, free trade,” he said.

Dr Mahathir has got this wrong though. Johor allows foreigners – especially Singaporeans – to buy properties in the state.

It’s very simple – there is already a policy in place on what it takes for foreigners to purchase real estate there.

A glut of houses amounting to RM1mil and above is bad enough, and the soft market has only stretched the wallets and maxed out the credits of property developers. Like in any business, contractors, too, are badly hit when not paid in full. The property market is, after all, the biggest multiplier of jobs.

Malaysia cannot afford to pick and choose its property clients because it is not legal and is also irrational and impractical.

The diplomatic and commercial faux pas sent all the wrong signals to Beijing and Hong Kong, causing bewilderment and uncertainty among developers and buyers alike.

Dr Mahathir’s remarks sent the shares of Country Garden Holdings, the developer of Forest City, into see-saw mode in Monday’s trading amid confusion.

The stock, which had risen by as much as 3.9% earlier last Monday, returned almost all its gains for the day on the Hong Kong exchange after his comments were published, ending the day 2.5% higher at HK$12.14.

As part of a damage control exercise, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian had to reiterate that the state still welcomes foreign investors buying high-end residential units here, assuring Johor stays friendly with foreign direct investment.

“Our restriction on foreign property ownership is still the same – foreigners are only allowed to buy housing above RM1mil,” he said.

There is also ambiguity between Permanent Residence status and the “My Second Home” programme, which is aimed at enticing the well-heeled to take up temporary residence in the country with every purchase of high- end property, a common practice in many countries.

And let’s be honest, because to the rich mainlanders, in terms of draw for temporary stay, we can’t compete with Canada, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom or even Singapore.

It is a fallacy and the handiwork of misguided fears to believe that mainland Chinese would invade Johor Baru to take up residence.

While some politicians have made it an issue of Chinese investments in Malaysia, the question that needs to be asked is, are we seeing anyone else, besides the Chinese, coming to our shores with serious investment plans?

Yes, we have found ourselves stuck with over-priced and over-paid deals, and agreements that should have been better drawn up and with exit clauses, but let’s be mindful and tactful, too.

And for sure, there is no Great Wall of China in Kuantan, as sadly represented, because it is merely a fencing parameter.

The Pahang state government, in trying to defuse the issue, told Dr Mahathir that the government should take into consideration the consequences before tearing down the perimeter wall around the MCKIP.

State Tourism, Environment and Plantations committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin said the previous, Barisan Nasional government had already deliberated the matter, putting it down to the culture and working style of the Chinese citizens.

“That might be the working culture of the Chinese nationals, who prefer a secluded area. It could also be due to security reasons that the previous government had allowed the construction of the wall.

“Just like when we are there (China), they respect our working culture, including the need for halal food supply, surau facilities and separate washrooms. So, I believe the wall is due to their working culture,” Sharkar said.

He also expressed concern that such minor issues could affect the relationship between Malaysia and China.

The reality is that all our properties – whether residential or commercial – have walls or fences, for security reasons at least.

With a 1,400 workforce at the MCKIP, owned by Alliance Steel (M) Sdn Bhd, the majority locals, it is illogical to imagine that the whole project is shrouded in secrecy.

The Chinese have been told that they need to “follow the laws” on issues related to Forest City and MCKIP, but the federal government hasn’t detailed their offences, which is only casting further confusion.

Meanwhile, investments from China to Malaysia have come to a halt now that the Chinese are truly spooked, particularly because no one seems to know what’s going on currently.

Flip-flop statements, contradictory remarks and unfriendly gestures won’t do us any good. Instead, we should be recognising that between Asean members, Malaysia has the best link to China with our cultural and linguistic advantages, something other member nations can only be envious of.

Taboo subject: The Merdeka exhibition, Stripes and Strokes , that is causing some Malaysians sleepless nights over photographs of LGBT activists.

IT’S a subject most Malaysians, and that includes prominent civil rights advocates, shy away from – the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) conundrum is regarded too controversial, taboo even.

So, many of us prefer not to talk about it, choosing to pretend that the LGBT community doesn’t exist. Or we simply don’t want to think about it. After all, why question seemingly conventional mindset?

Those who want to share their thoughts about it (often loudly) see it from a religious and even political viewpoint.

In their hyperbole, these people see the LGBT community as a threatening group with a deviant culture that “can destroy the moral fabric of society.”

Strangely, these moral police don’t even express anger and hatred towards terrorists and paedophiles.

At a time when Malaysians are dealing with more pressing concerns, like learning billions of ringgit have been stolen from us, consequently putting us under a mountain of debt, some of us are unbelievably having sleepless nights over photographs of LGBT activists at a Merdeka exhibition. Equally pertinent, apparently, is the community’s choice of washrooms – male or female. Go figure.

Over the past few weeks, the LGBT issue seems to have fired up many, with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusuf ordering the removal of two portraits of LGBT activists at an exhibition included in the George Town Festival.

Most Penangites likely never knew of the exhibition until the order to remove the photographs of Nisha Ayub and Pang Khee Teik was revealed.

Dr Mujahid was quoted as saying that he had no issues with people choosing to practise LGBT activities, so long as they abstained from openly promoting their lifestyle.

The angry exhibition sponsor, Datuk Vinod Sekhar, retorted that it was “incredible” that Dr Mujahid voiced his opinion, saying that discrimination against such people needed to stop.

“For the first time in Malaysia, a Minister has stood up and accepted that there is transgender victimisation. Prior to this, no Federal Minister in charge of religious affairs has come out and said this. This really changes the narrative of things in the new Malaysia,” Vinod was quoted.

The colourful businessman, a heart patient, got so upset and bothered that during an interview with a reporter fromThe Star, he collapsed when his defibrillator (implanted in his chest), failed.

A defibrillator is a device that releases a high energy electric shock to the heart through the wall of the chest of a person who goes into cardiac arrest.

Predictably, no one spoke up against Dr Mujahid’s directive after that, as far as I can recall. It can’t be denied that Dr Mujahid acted because it would have been politically suicidal of him to not have done so. The plain truth is that he wasn’t worried about LGBT activists – he was more concerned about the political fallout had he not acted.

Surely he is aware that there is still a political market for those who want to hear hate speeches on race and religion. The urban voters may want a New Malaysia, but at least 50% of the electorate, many in the rural constituencies, want the old ways to remain, evident from the popular votes tally in the recent general election.

Never mind that their own community stole from them, the appointment of key government posts to non-Malays is still abhorrent and a challenge to the position of Malays.

What more when issues relating to LGBT are impossible to defend in an increasingly religious Malaysia, and one involving a tiny fraction of Malaysians with no political clout or dividends to politicians.

So, when a transgender was beaten to a pulp by a group comprising eight men in Sungai Ujong, Negri Sembilan, it didn’t warrant national outcry.

In fact, most media didn’t even report it, and the indifference to this blatant and cowardly display of brutality and gangsterism seems to suggest that the cross-dresser deserved to be assaulted.

So goes the adage padan muka (serves you right), and surely this is expected when some of us berate and demonise this community.

It is one thing to tell your followers that such sexual orientations are against religious, and even cultural practices, but it is another thing all together to incite hatred against fellow human beings, where the line is crossed when a person is beaten up, and we look the other way, and worse, feel no remorse.

Apparently, CCTV images showed a group of men whacking the transgender in the middle of the street with a piece of wood and plastic pipe.

No one attempted to stop the assailants as the shocking violence played out, resulting in the victim suffering a ruptured spleen, several broken ribs as well as injuries to her back and head, which required 12 stitches.

It’s unequivocal – violence is wrong, and Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh and her party colleague, lawyer Syahredzan Johan, must be commended for speaking out when most politicians chose not to.

“The hate speeches directed at the transgender community reduced their humanity in the eyes of society and has made it easier for them to be targeted. We condemn in the strongest terms any hate speech directed at the community,” said the duo in a statement.

“The men surrounded her, and it is believed that she was attacked because of prejudice against her gender identity and the fact that she is a transgender woman.”

Five individuals have been charged, three of whom are expecting to sit for the SPM examination in November. It’s frightening that prejudice has rooted itself in our younger generation. What business do they have spreading hate and inflicting pain on those different from them?

No more talk, the time to nip it in the bud is now, so we must send a strong message that violence, in any shape or form, can never be tolerated.

We already live in a highly prejudiced society, so, do we really need this kind of blatant brutality and lack of acceptance? Absolutely not!