In the posting, "Rejoining UMNO means Zahid outsmarted Mahathir", the blog Permadu Malaysia predicted Mahathir to rejoin UMNO to deny Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim from being #PM8.
It will enable him to stay on till APEC 2020 or the problems of the country resolved as he piled up more problems. Physically, it is not logical for him to stay on any longer. He is staying on till it is feasible to pass over power to someone he trust.
Expectedly, not many are convinced Dato Ahmad Zahid Hamidi outsmarted Mahathir, but rejoining UMNO means he unwittingly submitted to Zahid's wish. That could put Zahid in trouble since one plan of Mahathir upon returning from Okinawa, Japan is to see Dato Najib and Zahid in.
The existing cases of Najib does not indicate he will be send to the slammer in the near future of January and February before March parliament seating and May 2020, the month PH Council fixed as the date Mahathir to relinquish his position.
The judicial application to the Federal Court to reopen investigation on the murder of Altantuya is not due till March. Even if Najib can be fixed up on trumped up claims, it is not so soon.
DAP
The previous posting mentioned of the plan to subdue DAP.
An Ops Lalang or deepstate operations is possibly the plan. However, the legal development on LTTE charges under SOSMA, and Communist Party of Malaya revival does not exude confidence for such plan to work.
More so, not with Attorney General, Tan Sri Tommy Thomas still around. There are indications that Tommy will neither get a renewal nor Siti Kassim will get to be AG.
Mahathir have changed the Chief Secretary and Millitary Chief. He is not waiting for Dewan Rakyat Speaker to get his Parliamentary reform plan to empower Parliament in the appointment of important government appointments.
Mahathir has another plan that would shake DAP. It could be a one two hit that DAP did not expect.
This does not include the possibility Anwar only realised his plan to play it cool and confident is not working and could be staring at a 10-year possibility.
No, it is not the Yusof Rawther SD but could be other evidences surfacing. Raja Petra hinted there could be five more videos. Maybe it is something related to sodomy but not a repeat of past storyline.
And, maybe it is related to an SD and complaint to be filed.
Jawi-Dong Zong casualty
The hot Jawi-Dong Zong issue over last weeks of December saw police secured court order to stop Dong Zong's planned convention against compulsory inclusion of three pages of Jawi and khat into the Malay language subject for vernacular schools.
It was an issue from policy introduced by Dr Maszlee Malek.
DAP leaders - Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Teo Nie Ching and Tony Pua went to ceramah to support it as a race free Malaysian Malaysia narrative, but got jeered by the Chinese crowd.
Dong Zong opposed and MCA went along despite President Dato Dr Wee Ka Siong initially echoing DAP leaders.
The latest commotion by Dong Zong was instigated by MCA Selangor. They see Chinese voters pushing off DAP but MCA needed to pull them their way.
DAP had to take the Dong Zong line. When court order to stop was issued, ruling party DAP criticised police and that stunted MCA.
That episode may have cost Maszlee his Ministership.
Despite firing up the Jawi and Dong Zong issues, Mahathir requested his resignation and done on the most embarassing time on the first day school reopen.
Maszlee statement to return the position to Mahathir is certainly something to ponder as it could mean he is a sacrificial lamb for a power transition play.
Who will be replacing Maszlee?
There is a long list of reasons for the removal of Maszlee.
He has no political clout thus is dispensible. Perception of him is the lowest and surveys placed him as the most unpopular Minister despite claims he contributed immensely to educational reform.
DAP have not been financially supportive of him including possible denial of funding of free breakfast program. The Jawi issue see the need to see him out.
The opposition-Malay side wants him out as he is seen as defensive of ultra kiasu, compromising Malay interest, PAN and IKRAM affiliatiin, and shooting his mouth at will without pondering the ramification that even the gods are annoyed.
Najib did what the Malay proverb described aspulangkan paku buah keras.
Maszlee admitted among the reasons that led him to resign are the Jawi issue and cancelled free breakfast plan for schools.
However, the school internet issue that Maszlee touched will put Mahathir in a difficult position.
Maszlee terminated the Bestari.net project of Mahathir's most favoured tycoon, YTL and Tan Sri Muhyuddin had long been said to have interest in Bestari.net through his son-in-law. Same ole, sale ole punishment for touching Atoq's cronies.
YTL share price immediately rose.
Cabinet reshuffle
The cabinet reshuffle is another one of Mahathir's four thrust of actions to be taken upon his return from Okinawa holiday.
Maszlee is only a puff as he plan to reinforce cabinet to bring the likes of Dato Mustapha Mohamed, Dato Hamzah Zainuddin and others.
There is even the long shot possibility of bringing in Dato Hishamuddin Hussein Onn. There have been talk for the last few months that he will be returning back into cabinet soon. Since his denial of leaving UMNO and complain made against him to the Disciplinary Council, it does not look possible.
However, Anwar has jokingly congratulated him as future Deputy Prime Minister. More on that later.
Mahathir played down the resignation as merely a minor cabinet reshuffle of only a Minister and a Deputy Minister. Why only one Minister when Ilham Tower mentioned Ministers in plural in his past criticism?
Who would the Deputy be? DAP's Deputy MOE?
The biggest test to show Mahathir could still flex his muscle is that he will act tough to strengthen his hold on power. And he should sack the incompetent Lim Guan Eng and retrial his tunnel case. It is legally feasible to do so despite court's acquital.
The loudest call to be sacked is Waythamoorthy but Maszlee, the Minister said to be Mahathir is protective off resigned.
If Mahathir could not convince he could sacked DAP, then what is to be expected of his other plans?
New coalition
One much talked about of late is Zahid is now supporting Mahathir's plan.
There have been words circulating that Zahid mentioned in his Kimanis rally to change the government this years. That differs from his earlier statements of no backdoor government and UMNO will await for next general election.
However, there is no media report of it. The only report of his Kimanis rally is Malaysiakini's spinned title Muafakat Nasional is not relevent in Sabah. Zahid actually said MN need to change to the Sabah political condition.
The four-cigarettes source claims Mahathir will create a new coalition without DAP comprising of PPBM, Muafakat Nasional of UMNO and PAS, BN, Sabah and Sarawak.
Consequently, it will be followed by clean-up of cabinet from those of age above 70 (to mean the likes of Muhyiddin is out) and mostly replaced by those in their 40s and 50s (to mean Azmin and Mukhriz).
Seat count
This bring us back to the old seat count calculation of Mahathir. His operators claim Mahathir has more than 125 seats of PPBM, PAS, UMNO, 4 from PAN, Warisan, GBS, GPS, mystery DAP MPs, and 10 independents.
Was it not Mahathir who insist to not to want 8 MPs from UMNO? If not enbloc, his plan make not work.
Does Mahathir really think the likes of Mat Sabu, Salahudddin Ayub, Hanipa Mydin and Mahfudz Omar will stop their allegiance to DAP and DAP's preferred choice of Anwar?
Is Mahathir sure Warisan is with him and the claimed alliance with Anwar is merely hedging? Is not Mahathir's distrust with Dato Shafie Apdal that made PPBM enter Sabah?
What is this talk that some PPBM Sabah leaders are lending support to BN candidate at Kimanis - unsettled score with Shafie or presuring for position in state government?
Will GBS and all independents support Mahathir since Anifah, Jeffrey Kitingan and GBS is heard will be campaigning for BN?
As far as GPS, is Pehin Taib Mahmud mentally still steady and stable to pull it for Mahathir? GPS may not want to be caught in a crossfire between PPBM and UMNO or any other political crossfires of Malaya.
Is it believable for DAP MPs to betray the party though few are believed to be up in arms with the paranoia and power dominance of the Lims?
Will Muhyiddin stay loyal with Mahathir with Anwar's offer for DPM is already on the table?
Lastly, is it believable for Mahathir to finally dump Azmin, who was also in Japan over the holidays, and Dato Mukhriz to be his successor?
Nah ...not believable yet.
The stealth and simple game of Zahid still seemed to have outsmarted Mahathir. Take the UMNO MPs all or none, taking parts will not work.