Waiting for Penanti

There are two things at the moment that are identified as things Mahathir. (1) The coming Penanti by-election. (2) The re-construction of the Bridge Idea. The people wait for Penanti. The choice of words in re-construction is deliberate, a reminder to some many years ago when the Pakistani philosopher Mohd. Iqbal wrote- The Reconstruction of Religious Thought...it requires boldness in thinking and action, both needed by the PM.

Why are they identified with Mahathir? Penanti is because Dr Mahathir is insisting UMNO/BN must go battle it despite the odds. The Bridge idea has always been a mean bone of contention between Dr Mahathir and the previous administration of which most of the present cabinet members including the PM were part of. Abandoning the construction of the bridge was not only seen as rejection of his personal vision but was also seen as surrendering our sovereignty.

Our PM has acknowledged that he needs to factor in Tun Mahathir. The reasons are fairly obvious. Admitting this, is no sign of weakness nor does it signal a readiness to kowtow to Dr Mahathir. Dr Mahathir is a larger than life figure. He is to Malaysia what Lee Kuan Yew is to Singapore.

TDM remains a force to be reckoned with. For 22 years he has been the Malaysian PM and UMNO president. Malaysia is what she is today is because of Dr Mahathir's drive and passion. It would be difficult to find another Malaysian leader to come close to sizing up to Dr Mahathir. The only other Malaysian that comes close would be Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. And that is my personal view only.

Most of the present cabinet ministers and those outside the cabinet have deep respects for TDM. Some do so grudgingly and one particular person, with unashamed chicanery despite boasting that he has burnt his bridges. One day, he will come to his bridge too far. Many indeed owe Dr.Mahathir their political longevity in UMNO. That would include the present PM.

Dr Mahathir is the eminence grise or bête noir depending on how one looks at him and who looks at him. His detractors would welcome the opportunity to tear him apart while his supporters will want to tear his detractors apart.

Dr Mahathir's views on any matter regarding Malaysia are always viewed as relevant. Sometimes even if they are publicly rejected, privately, they are carefully considered. Very much so if the views are potentially damaging to office holders.

Amour Propre.

All of a sudden, the BN is cost conscious. The MSM papers were quickly on the bandwagon shouting here and there of the high costs of doing by elections. In the past, depression or otherwise, the BN was never mindful about costs. Hence when it is now lamenting the costs, people will take this stand as very shallow and hypocritical. BN has never been cost conscious and must never be if it's to maintain its amour propre. Self esteem cannot be equated in terms of costs. What is too costly for BN to refurbish its self esteem?

In my mind, if UMNO and BN refuses to go do battle at Penanti on account of costs (which are flimsy excuses) it will just reaffirm the deep-rooted culture of money politics in UMNO. Money politics has fully engulfed UMNO that now, even its top leadership calculates its fortunes in Dollars and Sen. UMNO has no more a sense of honour and self esteem.

Beyond this overriding need to maintain its self esteem at all costs, are some practical reasons why BN should go into battle at Penanti led by UMNO.

The PM and the entire cabal of BN leadership must never miss the fact that people like elections and by elections. The Malays especially like them. The act of putting the ballot paper in the ballot box represents a final statement of their existence as a worthy individual. It represents the last symbol of his self importance. Take that away, UMNO is taking the people's self esteem away.

Just a fanciful talk? Picture the scene of the elderly being handled by the young to walk to the voting centres, those making their way on wheel chairs and some even carried by others. They want to feel the ultimate assertion of their fundamental rights as a citizen.

If UMNO were to lose, let us lose with dignity and self esteem intact.