Who after Najib?

Has Tun M found the heir apparent for Malaysia?

It is a Sunday. Not the best day to talk politics. Time for family, leisure and errands.

Those going balik kampong for Hari Raya Haji and school holidays will be streaming back to their respective homes. The highway will be packed and traffic will be slow.

Hmmm ... why not as it provide something to read on the smartphone. More so, there are something interesting in Tun Dr Mahathir's latest posting here 2 days ago.

One particularly, Tun M seemed to have reached a phase of repeating himself. According to Joseph Goebbel, repeating is an integral part of propaganda. But then, there will be those especially the Kelab Che Det-type that will vehemently oppose such description.

1MDB thinks otherwise. They regret that "Mahathir easily forget". He "continues to reuse and recycle stale and unproven allegations, which have repeatedly been proven wrong." It is convenient to forget because according to a World War II propaganda manual, it is to address to "the least intelligent".

Roosevelt used to say, "Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth."

Instead of repeating himself in the last two months of blog postings, Tun M should lay out the proofs to justify his refusal to believe the explanations. Creeping normality propaganda method already gave the impression the majority agreed Najib halted investigation.

Without Tun M doing so, there is insufficient legal basis to seek Najib's resignation. Tun M's rationale is still subjective as it is one opinion against another. Halting investigation would only be procedural offense. Have all forgetten that the accusation is embezzlement of public money?

If the past is a predictor of the future, the repeating phase is the crossroad where Tun M is unable to go forward or will go down to reach out to the masses. He is a very effective communicator and that could spell the end of Najib.

The new target being bandied around is December. Time to think of a successor.

Zahid

Thus far the most visible is Dato Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He is Najib's chosen successor after having removed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin from the cabinet.

It automatically dispel the popular believe that he will bring up his cousin, Dato Hishamuddin Hussein Onn as successor.

Though Hishamuddin has more exposure and trained for the position than Zahid, many felt it is not viable for Hishamuddin. He came third in the VP race by miles to Zahid and Dato Shafie Apdal. Zahid came first twice.

Shafie is hardly an option. His mind is only set on being Sabah Chief Minister. Has exceptionally too many skeleton in his cupboard. Approach to remain in power in his constituency is to perpetuate a dependent mentality. That sucks to high heaven!

To be fair to his critics, Zahid is not the same person as the past. High time to let bygone of his Youth Chief and reformasi days be bygone. Thus far, he has been steady in his various Ministerial positions. Has not meddle in the process and structure of government. Relatively little controversies.  

One handicap is English. He does not sound comfortable speaking it. If he eventually become PM and address the United Nation General Assembly, he could be delivering it in Malay. Can be hyped as the pejuang bahasa's false sense of pride.

Remember that Malaysia is the 16th largest trading nation. English is important in communication for trade, diplomacy, law, etc. Along that line, Malaysia's PM cannot be someone insular but global in outlook, awareness and presence.

Muhyiddin

Many has discounted Muhyiddin as the next PM. Lets not forget he is still the Deputy President of UMNO. Say something happen to Najib like arrested by FBI or abducted by CIA, then he could not stay on.

Zahid can deputise for a while but not on a permanent basis. Void of any other influential personality, Tun M's loudmouth and chorused by others like Pak Lah and Tun Musa will push for Muhyiddin as next PM. He is still member of Parliament and still Chief Whip.

One handicap of Muhyiddin is his exposure. He was not groomed for the top post like Najib or Hishamuddin.

In football, there is the spine. Similarly, in administration, the spine positions are Finance, Foreign Affairs, Home, Defense, and Information. Muhyiddin has no exposure in any. Education used to be strategic for its political value but not any more. Most important UMNO positions are not held by the Cikgu as it used to in the past.

Nevertheless, Muhyiddin was a long serving member of the cabinet. If he can rise up to match Najib in terms of capability, he trails in terms of international diplomacy. Remember 16th largest trading nation.

The worry is his past as Johor Menteri Besar will be dug back. 

Muhyiddin is loyal to the Amirul Mukminin. He has restrained himself from expressing anything visionary to not overshadow Najib. However, when it warrants for, he is unafraid to speak up as he did to Pak Lah and it led him to willingly withdraw. Najib side had long been wary of this.

In the latest episode, someone did a number on him to viral a closed door speech at Janda Baik. Since it is already out, he had to meet audience expectation to explain himself.

Not to be forgotten that his first public "outburst" on 1MDB was to call for the resignation of the Board of Directors. It was a sensible move but Najib had never been in the habit of sacking people and has a bad habit of keeping deadwoods.

The rumour making it's round is Muhyiddin had collaborated with former Attorney General, Tan Sri Gani Patail to arrest Najib. It was planned after the cancelled UMNO Supreme Council Meeting. The absurd thing is he is not Home Minister to do so.

Zahid has no issue and still remain cordial with Muhyiddin. At one time when there was talk of a Najib-Hishamuddin tag team, there was also the Muhyiddin-Zahid tag team. It is not impossible for Zahid to give way to Muhyiddin.

On the other hand, having once been Najib's political secretary, Zahid had always been a Najib man.

It is widely made known by Muhyiddin that he is reluctant to be PM. There are those pensioners in the late 60s saying he better not because he is the same age as them. Some quarters said he is not excited to clean Najib's mess. However, that mess is also inherited from past administration.

Others

Also along the issue of age is Tengku Razaleigh.

There is a group of dreamers still thinking he is the only choice left for Malaysia. None in the current crop of leaders fit the bill.

If calls for Muhyiddin to be appointed PM, it will be Ku Li's boys that will whack him down though they were the batu api (instigator) to push Muhyiddin in the ring with Najib.

Ku Li has credentials but that is the past. Someone whose left a particularly branch of law enforcement only 8 years ago had to relearn again. It is longer for Ku Li whose last days in cabinet was 1987. That's the year most of the Gen Y executives in the mid-20s were born.

He is also out of touch. The ship has left the port. He had his chances but it didn't happen. No point hoping. The world have changed for this Keynesian practitioner. Malaysia is no more in the phase of rural development. Institutional building is an out-dated idea. The man's 78 year old for crying out loud.

The country need a PM not a royal still berpatik patik ...

Lets move on. There are other long shots like Dato Nazri Aziz and Dato Mustapha Mohamed.

Wild card

One interesting out-of-the-box theory, not the one claiming Qada and Qadar do not exist in Islam, is heard.

One young officer to a "Minister" was saying, "Enough is enough with all these old leaders and their past. Be it Pak Lah or Najib, it is about a past leader or generation of leaders till grappling to hold on to the past. Whether it is Najib or Muhyiddin or even Zahid, it will bring back the past in one way or another."

When asked for his solution, in which even Tun M does not have one but only obsessed to bring those not subjugating themselves to him down, he said to cut off the past and start afresh. He added, "Put Hishamuddin as PM, then Mukhriz and after that KJ."

One theory say Hishamuddin will be Deputy Prime Minister when Najib solve all the issues before passing the mantle to Zahid. But the preposition is Hishamuddin to be PM asap. Without delving into his endless fumbling, the idea of a clean cut is interesting.

Mukhriz has some experiance in management and admistration but he is too much a nice guy in politics. His dad maybe dragging him down now but he almost thrown out Hishamuddin with only a ragtag campaign team. It is undisputed that he is the cleanest.

KJ could stop Mukhriz so Hishamuddin should convince him to give way. After all, he is now in sync with Tun M. Thus far, KJ is still struggling to pick up the ropes in management or public administration. Its a different ball of wax from being a smart alec in a debate.

Opposition

It will not be fair to discount opposition leaders since they could be taking over the country. The RAHMAN mystery is to end with Najib. Who are the likely ones?

PAS will offer Dato Haji Hadi Awang. But, he failed as Menteri Besar of Terengganu.

He was more of a Ustaz teaching at masjid and left the running to Dato Mustapha Ali. Unfortunately, there will no more be Stopa who had been known in the PAS inner circle as Anwarinas in disguise. If Hadi can't, the Deputy Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man is far from able.

If Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim join PAS, he is an option. However, he is as old as Muhyiddin and his foray as Selangor MB shows he is only a corporate man.

But can PAS takeover the country after being left out of Pakatan Harapan? 

Say DAP supported her since she is Opposition leader, could dizzy Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah be PM? 

Nah ... she can't. Too blur. She will be PM long enough to get Anwar pardoned and wait out till Anwar could run again for Permatang Pauh to quit. Already first of PH agenda is for Anwar to be PM.

Supposed Kak Wan give way to Azmin Ali. After all, she said, "Saya cuma nenek. Nak jaga cucu." Azmin is touted to be a potential leader. Thus far, Azmin Ali is no better than KJ or Mukhriz. However, Anwar knows when in power, it is difficut to let go. Will he allow Azmin since he was pissed as hell when Azmin seized it from Kak Wan to be MB of Selangor?   

There is Mat Sabu of PAN with a silent tart. Are you kidding?

If there is no other choice left among the opposition leaders, then bite the bullet and have Lim Kit Siang or Lim Guan Eng as PM. Forget about Kit Siang having no confidence that Najib can be toppled now by vote of no confidence [read his blog here]. Lets not bother about his already advanced age.

After all, some of Tun M people are already saying it is no more about saving UMNO but the country. Tun M is willing to use foreign medias, work with foreign subversive elements and attend Bersih rally.

Off course, DAP must have Tun M's consent and not disappoint him or they will suffer the same fate as many PMs in UMNO, from Tunku Abdul Rahman till Najib except himself and Tun Abdul Razak.

* Edited 28/9 8:45 AM