Mahathir quitting as PM a boon for Najib: Jakarta Post

In a no hold bar comment in the Jakarta Post, Kornelius Purba says the resignation of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as Prime Minister has helped Najib Razak.

The columnist even suggests that Najib may eventually kiss the 94-year-old hand when they cross paths.

“And thank his former political mentor for becoming his savior.”

Kornelius Purba

The paper says Najib may feel relieved knowing that the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the party he once led, is growing stronger.

It also says Umno looks set to regain the power it lost in 2018 — ironically thanks to the squabbling within the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.

UNEXPECTED BOOST

Pakatan Haparan ended the UMNO-led ruling coalition’s 60-year stranglehold of Malaysian politics.

But when Dr Mahathir decided to resign without consulting his coalition members in a perceived backstabbing of Anwar Ibrahim in the process, the Umno and Najib got an unexpected boost.

Citing an EMIR survey (a pro-PN think tank sources say) which gives PN-UMNO 52 per cent vote and PH 30 per cent, the columnist says UMNO has been clawing its way back to power ever since the fragile PH government under Mahathir collapsed in February.

“Life can be much easier for Najib, even if he has to serve a long prison sentence, as long as Mahathir and Anwar cannot come to terms and UMNO restores its past glory.”

MAHATHIR LIED

The post also says unequivocally that Mahathir lied on his promises to let Anwar Ibrahim, whom he fired as Minister and jailed when he PM in the 1990’s, as the anointed PM.

“It was later clear that Mahathir had lied, as he intended to maintain his grip as long as possible.”

Kornelius Purba

And there is a running joke about Mahathir’s attitude toward Anwar, who was convicted twice for sodomy. “Why was Mahathir so jealous of Anwar?”

Finally, the post says:

It is game over for Mahathir — but also for the country’s political and economic reforms.

Kornelius Purba