The above picture of Tun Dr Mahathir's staring posture at Dato Seri Azmin Ali in a meeting went viral.
It could be any meeting with government officers in Putrajaya, but the small room led to speculation that it is in Bangkok, where Mahathir attended an ASEAN Summit and Azmin is there too. The joke is Mahathir is pondering as to why Azmin would do such thing.
The common feedback received from friends across various political parties is Azmin is finished, kapish!
Mahathir is not likely to choose Azmin as Deputy Prime Minister or pass the premiership to Anwar. He reiterated the promise to hand over to Anwar in a Bloomberg interview with Haslinda Amin. However, the body language does not indicate so.
It is most glaring at 1:43 when Haslinda asked does he trust Anwar Ibrahim.
Contrary to his words on the need to put house in order first, it is unlikely Mahathir could continue beyond the end of the year after few instances heard of falling at official functions abroad.
In a letter to FMT editor, septuagenarean Yap Thang Kuan pleaded on Malaysians to Mahathir go and not burden him further to solve nation's problems following to the fallout from the alleged Azmin's homosexual tape.
Merdeka Center recent poll indicate Mahathir's popularity plummet to the 40 percentile. It is Yap's polite and subtle way of saying Mahathir should stop giving excuses and give way to others.
Lim Kit Siang's defense of Mahathir is not sincere too.
Successor
If Azmin was his heir apparent and had taken the same path as Anwar, Mahathir should be in a state of frenzy to talk and cut deals with other potential successors. Among PH leaders, some names may have been mentioned. Lets leave it to them to sort it out.
Aside from the quarrel, which is temporary and could be sorted out, Mahathir is not likely to pick Tan Sri Muhyiddin due to health reasons. Other than Anwar, none of the other leaders of PH component parties are PM material.
If it had been Lim Guan Eng, he would spend all his time spinning and deceiving the public than do any serious governing. Not only what he say is not believable, what he is still thinking is too.
It's a Ripley's believe it or not moment, but do not discount the possibility Mahathir is seeking help from UMNO.
His ego would not allow him to do it himself, so he sent out feelers. Past moves by certain UMNO leaders could be to establish back channel with PPBM in the event any need arise to talk. Something could be happening behind the scene as Azmin tried to contain the public conversation of his expose.
Among the narrative used to convince UMNO MPs to crossover was to neutralise DAP and fear of Anwar become PM (read CIA plant and DAP control). The same common interest could be used for Mahathir to draw out a new coalition and cajole a successor from UMNO to accept his new arrangement.
Raja Petra jumped the gun to viral this message:
Looking at how things are going, Dr Mahathir might have no choice but to appoint Ku Li as the new PM. Ku Li is the only leader with no sex or financial scandals and is acceptable to Tun Daim, Muhyiddin, PAS, Umno, DAP, PPBM, MCA, MIC, Gerakan and to Sabah-Sarawak parties as well.It was echoed by Reggie Jessie.
Mahathir must have ran out of options to pass the baton to Tengku Razaleigh. For one reason or another, Anwar, Najib, Zahid and Ku Li are those he would rather handover power to Netanyahu than them.
Apparently, acting President Mohamed Hasan could be an option. His name turned up in Papagomo aka Wan Azri's LIVE You Tube discussion on ummah unity, which Pemuda UMNO is promoting.
Dato Lokman Noor Adam picked on Azri's willingness to commit a position to accept Mahathir to cooperate with Dato Mohamed Hasan for sake of ummah unity. Tok Mat have been known to have met Mahathir to plead for UMNO not to be dissolve.
It was brave of Azri to test the water but should have held back name calling and respect the diversity in view. It is high time for a reformed UMNO to allow public discource on the direction of the party instead of behind the scene manouvering which usually ended up decided before feedback is seek.
As oppose to Azri's aspiration for ummah unity, Lokman explained his stance based on the realpolitik and manouvering he believed is Mahathir controlling and manipulating UMNO. In his view, UMNO and PAS is able to win GE15 thus why the need to cooperate with Mahathir?
Rejection for return of Mahathir
Response from pro-UMNO facebooker opposed to the cooperation between UMNO and Bersatu. Mohd Izwan Abu Bakar blamed Mahathir for the decay and damage in UMNO. He questioned a mnouver blamed at Dato Khaled Nordin to throw out Dato Najib out of UMNO.
Mahathir's ins and outs of UMNO was raised.
Facebooker and SEDAR activist, Zam Yahya opposed cooperation with Mahathir to prevent UMNO reverting back to past crony capitalism. He raised the presence of Bersatu would complicate the seat distribution between UMNO and PAS.
One FB posting equate the presence of Mahathir to minority Jew dominating the world.
Najib has called for calm and sensibility.
The manner the issue has blown up could hurt Tok Mat in UMNO. He may have been former CEO of Cycles & Carriage Berhad and MB of Negeri Sembilan. The common view is he has never been a player in national politics.
He and won the Deputy Presidency of UMNO with the backing of Dato Hishamuddin Hussein Onn. It is a puzzle as to why Hishamuddin decided not to run and be part of the revival of UMNO. For Tok Mat to be PM, the Negeri Sembilan-der needs hand holding.
Since six months ago, Hishamuddin had quiet down, and the crossover talk died down along. If he still have ambition and no a need to only focus on his constituency, Sembrong, he could come back as Minister subject to the condition he survived Mat Sabu's dirt digging.
It is a matter of time for Zahid Hamidi to make his return, in which he should not be on leave in the first place. There seemed to be opposition for his return, claimed Jailani Harun but Tok Mat laid it to rest. Should Zahid Hamidi decide not to stand for get re-election, Hishamuddin could certainly seize the Presidency in any contest against Mat Hasan.
There is the likelihood the political senario has changed. Things are moving fast and situation is fluid. Past plans could make a return. As it is, there is an an UMNO from a state had to evade endless calls for appointment from PH agents. Is an offer coming?
Meanwhile, another active MP left the same WA group.