Dr M: BN is corrupt

He is an assassin with an impressive track record. Those who fall in his crosshairs are eliminated. The list of victims is long and illustrious.

And now, he has trained his sights on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

One of the reasons often cited for Dr Mahathir Mohamad's continued interference in the administrations after him is to engineer his son's ascension in the political hierarchy.

Despite failing to clinch a vice-president post in the last Umno elections, Mukhriz was named as Kedah menteri besar.

But Mahathir, according to the grapevine, is far from satisfied. He wants his son to become the prime minister and is prepared to be the juggernaut that clears the path for this objective.

It is also often speculated that whenever the smell of defeat is in the air, his cronies run to him out of fear that should the ruling coalition crumble, the opposition would embark on a witch-hunt.

Though Anwar Ibrahim has denied this, there is still grave concern for he is a man with a large axe to grind.

Paying for Umno's transgressions

Mahathir's initial shot with the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder was near fatal for Najib, but the latter managed to survive with the support from various quarters within Umno.

Tired of sniping from a distance, the former premier has now decided to use an automatic weapon instead and is raining bullets.

However, Mahathir had also inadvertently admitted that the ruling coalition is corrupt and its transgressions are being swept under the carpet for now.

Apart from tarnishing the image of Umno and BN politicians, he also cast aspersions on the police and courts with regard to dealing with corruption among ruling party politicians.

Mahathir argued that to avoid landing behind bars, Najib must be removed to ensure that BN retains power in the next general election.

"What I am most afraid of is if the opposition wins, the opposition has no sympathy. They will dig (for answers), and if they dig, people will be charged in court and may be found guilty.

"So if BN loses ... A lot of people will have to pay a big price," he had said.

Opposition will capitalise

Mahathir loyalist Zainuddin Maidin warned that even the former premier, who has been accused of almost everything under the sun, except murder, could also find himself counting prison bars in his nineties.

Mahathir's warning was aimed at instilling dread in Umno that with Najib as president and prime minister, the next stop after the elections, could be prison.

However, this could backfire.

His remarks have provided the opposition with potent fodder against the regime in the coming election.

This message from Mahathir would be carried far and wide.

In Umno, instead of sowing the seeds of fear, it could lead to anger that Mahathir is inflicting greater damage than Anwar and this would convince them to back Najib.

While Mahathir has nothing to lose after having tasted the fruits of success and power, many in Umno are worried that he would ruin their ambitions by unleashing the kraken.

Perhaps Umno is now wondering if the wrong man had been thrown in jail.

As for Mahathir, even his dream of seeing his son becoming prime minister is at risk as the walls appear to be closing in both on Mukhriz and Umno.

Malaysiakini article