Mahathir's resignation blues.

22.5.2008.

Just as I've predicted, the name callings have started in the aftermath of the surprise resignation. The main media have been singularly one- sided in their presentation. Fortunately the internet offers alternative means of expressing opinions, thank God. Mahathir must take heart from the friendlier mail he's getting there. Anyway, he has never been one to shy away from controversy and criticism. 

The personalities jumping into the fray are getting to be interesting. The two Mahathir boys understandably chose to support their father, though in slightly different ways. Why shouldn't they ? Aziz Tapa and Aishah Ghani, the veterans, made interesting suggestions to "repair the damage". Aziz reckons the Agong should get involved, a rather quixotic notion. Aishah made a more pragmatic suggestion for reconciliation. Her remedy requires a swallowing of pride on the part of Dolah , though, and that might be bitter medicine. Musa Hitam, whom I've called the axe-grinder in earlier postings, and Sharir Samad, predictably, has come out with vitriol. They have accused Mahathir of being a thorn in the flesh. 

Mahathir has heaped deserved sarcasm on these two in his blog, in response. Even Jane Chee, a retired, divorced primary school teacher who plays golf with me sometimes has gotten into the act. She said this morning Satan must be laughing with all these public quarrels. She added, friends can become enemies now. I quickly interjected, perhaps wickedly, husbands and wives also can become enemies !

Syed Sulung this evening said at the surau, "pelik". I answered, pelik if you don't know the full story, not pelik if you know. Mahathir's call for mass resignation from UMNO is more rhetoric than anything. The effect this act was devised to cause is already happening. I don't agree to the opinion that Mahathir was spontaneously provoked into making this declaration in the gathering in Alor Star. I think he's too clever for that. Now everybody is getting involved, even dragging the name of the innocent Agong. 

The quietening of the anti-Dolah movement is now rekindled. Don't overestimate the strength of the pro-Dolah group. Don't underestimate, similiarly, the ernestness of the anti-Dolah  group. Mahathir alone cannot bring about the removal of Dolah , which is the main objective of the group of which his is the leading voice. He must get the numbers. Nevertheless, the fact is his voice alone had been one of the strongest causes for the havoc that had fallen upon UMNO in particular, and the BN in general, in the recently concluded GE.

I believe Dolah  cannot resign now. He needs time to secure his and his family's financial position, with all the complex business arrangements that they have entered into. If he leaves before locking up all the monetary deals, he could lose everything. Even if he does tie up everything he could still lose them all eventually. But at least he will have a fighting chance to defend his gains, ill-gotten or otherwise. I believe Najib or whomsoever could approach Dolah from this angle, and give him a way out of his predicament. Dolah  needs all his true friends now, more than ever. But you know what they say, "a friend in need ..." If a strong, wily and long-serving PM like Mahathir could be treated like old furniture once he lost his power, how would a not-so-strong, not-so-wily and not-so-long serving PM like Dolah fare ? The ministers and Menteris Besar ( and there are less of them this time ) would be the first to abandon him. Just as some say that Mahathir has come full circle, Dolah by this time would have also come full circle. Only quicker.

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