JUNE 29 — As if we needed any further confirmation, so comprehensive is Mahathir’s lust for a last legacy that he is willing to torpedo the chances of Pakatan Plus at a second chance of governing — all so that his son Mukhriz can have a clearer path to PM-ship.
While many supporters have camouflaged it as a new chapter for Malaysian federalism — one can’t help but question the sincerity of the Shafie as PM bid given that once again Mahathir places his son Mukhriz as a DPM candidate for Pakatan Plus.
Now Mahathir has once said that “as a matter of principle”, he would never allow his children or wife to do business with government — something that over the years has been revealed as a half-truth at best.
While the most blatant example of nepotism would be Mahathir’s RM 1.7 billion bailout of his son’s Mirzan Mahathir shipping interests in 1998, what about the complaint filed by Mahathir’s own partyman, Wan Mohammad Ashraf Nasjaruddin?
In the run-up to GE14, it was claimed that there were close to 500 companies that were registered under the name of Mahathir and four of his children.
Of course, it was not only Mahathir’s family that earned handsomely under his watch.
Mahathir had made a small cadre of “Bumputera capitalist” fabulously wealthy during his tenure, including his then DPM Anwar Ibrahim, prior to his downfall in September 1998.
They embarked on a massive privatisation drive of public assets that included various megaprojects such as the North-South Highway, water and sewerage, the Bakun dam, Light Rail Transit System and the National Train Service (KTM).
With little business experience at the helm and propped up by political capital — these companies inevitably failed and bailed out by the billions of ringgit that was often meant to help the rakyat.
So excessive were these bailouts and failed businesses, that they were used as anti-Mahathir fodder for decades to come.
Now when Mahathir was sworn in as Pakatan’s Prime Minister, one would have hoped that he would have spent his limited time to reform the monster he had created.
Instead, Malaysians found out that Opcom Cables, a company with clear links to Mokhzani and Mukhriz Mahathir was awarded a RM11.16 million contract by Telekom Malaysia (Opcom shares rose nearly 40 per cent after this announcement).
A few months later, a letter of appointment that addressed as Petron Fuel International Bhd as one of the fuel suppliers for government vehicles went viral on social media. Another of Mahathir’s son, Mirzan Mahathir, is a director of Philippine-based Petron Corporation, which owns Petron Malaysia.
How about Mukhriz’s tenure in Kedah as a Pakatan MB? There it only seems that the Mahathir clan is trying to shore up as much contracts in their state as possible, with the planned airport in Kulim, the industry parks and even durian plantations designed to displace indigenous inhabitants.
It’s clear then that Mahathir has outlived his usefulness. He insists on trampling on everything that Pakatan Harapan once stood for. He may be surrounded by enablers, but everyone knows that they remain around him to suit his own political purposes.
Given the long and sordid family legacy that Mahathir has left us, one can’t help but wonder why does Pakatan continue to enable his woes.
The price paid by the rakyat will go far beyond any the longest bridge, the tallest building, the grandest airport, the most awesome dam – but the destruction of the aspirations and hopes of entire generations of Malaysia.
I hope for Pakatan, this will all be worth it.
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
