DECEMBER 24 — Hindsight is 2020, yes, thanks for that year 2020!
It had it all — a PM under attack, that PM resigns, a race to a new majority involving also the resigned PM, political reaction delayed by a pandemic response, perpetual talk of government collapse, corruption cases, new parties formed, state governments collapse and a late realisation that our politics needs fresh blood.
Unfortunately, not that much humour by design. The unintended humour was hilarious.
See how your favourites fared below.
Muhyiddin Yassin
Starts year as home minister, will end it as PM. Cherry on top, he shoves founder Mahathir Mohamad and son Mukhriz out of Pribumi Bersatu. Ironically, Covid-19 shielded his administration from criticism as pandemic response dominates efforts and interest.
Special weapon was amplified, the option to scream Demi Melayu (Defend the Malays) whenever he fails to govern or hits a wall, and duly escapes denunciations, because his coalition has all out-and-out Malay parties minus Mahathir’s. Too few on the opposite side to accuse him of hiding behind parochialism or unfairly monopolising bigotry. If only there were fairer ways to participate in bigotry!
Downside, Umno holds the cards — threatens to pull support cyclically and ends Bersatu state governments with impunity — and therefore won’t allow Muhyiddin to move past “caretaker” status. He, and to a degree the country, is stuck in neutral.
Fears: The spectre of too few seats to contest thanks to power share with PAS and Umno is only dwarfed by the cataclysmic nightmare of electoral decimation in those seats they do compete.
To his credit: Not done a Tik-Tok video.
Verdict: The biggest single winner. Massive.
Mahathir Mohamad
Not quite King Lear but he wanders the political landscape for a way back in. Alas, academics henceforth, won’t tire to remind — unkindly — his gambit to sacrifice the PM office in order to force Pakatan Harapan’s obedience.
More than anyone, Mahathir is aware of the Malaysian PM’s omnipotence. He’s the architect. Letting go of it unless to truly retire makes one look the fool. He canvassed for support 72 hours after resigning when all he had to do was stay in power to begin with.
He cannot help but appear both dejected and desperate today.
To begin the year as the PM every MP — from both sides — wants to associate with and end it as only a nonagenarian parliamentarian who stands up occasionally to object key bills, a tad bit cruel?
To his credit: Out of credit and he still has the belligerence to feign indifference to a predicament of his own doing.
Verdict: Almost the biggest loser. Left to endure the remaining ride the best he can.
Anwar Ibrahim
In sporting terms, he had a great pre-season, but it went sour as soon as the first whistle for regular season was blown.
There was, and still lingers, an inevitability about Anwar Ibrahim’s inability to surmount the final hurdles to the highest office.
It’s not getting better for him.
Externally, he went from next in line to lead to the guy inspiring the “strong, formidable and convincing majority” memes. He asks for the indulgence of Pakatan leaders while back-dealing with any number of Perikatan Nasional parliamentarians.
This results in constant speculations over power except with no conclusion forthcoming.
Internally, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has no clear purpose other than Anwar’s ambition. The party split has not been met with efforts from the top to reconcile after the bloodletting. Long-term committed Anwaristas like Rafizi Ramli question openly his choices. His daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, has kept her head down throughout Anwar’s tribulations.
It’s bleak but not impossible for Anwar, though ploughing through as if business as usual is most definitely the wrong way to go.
Fears: Plenty
To his credit: Has experimented with social media, from playing football to his grandkids and table tennis. [Yes, bottom of the barrel stuff]
Verdict: Worst year in politics for the PKR president? Probably. Every trick has come off badly. Loser.
Najib Razak
A 12-year prison sentence hangs over his head, but he has cause for cheer this festive season.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers’ chairman lives a charmed life in Parliament and social media.
If he drives Umno to electoral success at the next general election, his legal difficulties may dissolve over time.
His tongue in cheek deliveries have been lapped up by younger people, carving up social media presence and influence for himself. He could be doing far, far worse.
Fears: Mahathir
To his credit: Has not put on skinny jeans, yet. Not fallen off a motorbike.
Verdict: Unqualified success. Enjoyed 2020 better than most politicians.
Zahid Hamidi
Umno presidents always wield amazing power, but rarely has an Umno president appeared so pedestrian; he is almost an afterthought.
If PN wins, and Umno only has a marginal seat superiority over Bersatu, it would be difficult to make the argument for Zahid to become PM.
He weakens his own case to the Malaysian public and party by his preference for Anwar to be PM in a personal capacity. It undermines PN and also his own stature to lead the country.
However, his deputy Mohamad Hasan is tied by Umno’s convention for polite deference and cannot choose to challenge. Even if he wanted to.
Umno traps itself, fortunately for Zahid. Unfortunately for Umno, Zahid is trapped by his own intellectual and strategic limitations.
Fears: Zahid does not spell fear and many other words.
To his credit: He has stopped calling himself the sheriff.
Verdict: Win. By virtue of showing up.
Azmin Ali
He is still senior minister but where does he go from here?
Penggerak Komuniti Negara (PKN) is a non-defined vehicle led by Azmin while he stays as an appointed office bearer inside Pribumi Bersatu.
Azmin and gang are valuable for Muhyiddin’s MP count but that may not be the case after the next election.
Fears: Cameras in hotel rooms.
To his credit: His performance level has not changed from the Economics Affairs Ministry to International Trade.
Verdict: Somewhat a win. The half of PKR still in power.
No lollypop at the end of the tsunami
The only thing to be learnt from the winners and the losers has been clear objectives weigh heavily for success.
Over 2016 to 2018 Mahathir was firm about his Najib vendetta. He won. Throughout 2020, the public can’t fathom exactly what Mahathir desires.
To some Anwar wanting the PM position was a clear objective but it was ignorant of the national mood and the split in his own party. It was more a wish than a hard achievable objective, and it expectedly faltered.
Azmin is caught with clarity of what he does not want, but big question marks about what he reasonably seeks.
Muhyiddin’s finest moment was to be decisive when Mahathir resigned and to push forward his own ambitions at the opportune moment. To ride the wave.
But I have a terrible premonition the losers are not about to change their game for 2021.
*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
