The pro-Tun vehemently denied Tun Dr Mahathir was in a state of panic when the Special Taskforce announced the formation of a RCI on BNM forex loss.
Mahathir detractors claimed he left for London to celebrate Hari Raya to consult with Clare Brown on their next course for diversion and new offensive. He could afford to bring his grandchildren back for Hari Raya so it was no excuse to celebrate with them.
Before that, in June, Mahathir put up a front to claim he is not afraid of RCI. His lawyer then told the media that Mahathir is ready to testify to the RCI. Sometime in early July, he dared Dato Najib to "tangkap" (imprisoned) him. However, things went a little different.
During the Special Task Force, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tan Sri Nor Mohaamed Yakcop talked too much. For Nor, he need to save his skin because Mahathir, Anwar and Lim Kit Siang looked to gang up to accuse the late Bank Negara Governor and himself.
In London, Mahathir made another of his frequent U turn to endorse Anwar as next PM. Words are he had sent people, Minister-level, to lobby with the Task Force members to save him.
Today, it is confirmed that he is not as brave as he seemed as he filed for a judicial review to remove the RCI panel. (Read MMO here).
On the first day of the RCI, his lawyer, Hanif Khatri and Anwar's lawyer attempted to request participation in the Inquiry to cross examine (read FMT here).
Naturally, it is rejected.
Like the Inquiry in French Court on the current brouhaha against two DCNS executives that opposition tried to revive the old and failed attempt to implicate Najib and Abdul Razak Baginda for corruption in the purchase of Scorpene submarine, it is not a criminal trail to have lawyers to cross examine too.
It is just a political ploy to buy time. With PPBM organising a program called Nothing2Hide 2.0 to take potshots at Najib and call him coward, they better changed it to Something2Hide.
Who is the coward one now?
Removing CJ
Mahathir's move is not done in isolation. At the same time, he filed a judicial review to remove the appointed Chief Justice whose reappointment was lawfully done in accordance with the constitution. (Read new TMI here)
There is no provision in the constitution that do not allow the appointment of additional judge as Chief Justice and there are practical basis to allow for it. (Read NST here and here). If it is a big issue, BN can always pass a new law to rectify.
Bar Council President argument too was weak. Their call to boycott the judges were questioned by its former President. The attendance at a Bar Council meeting on the issue was not representative of the membership.
Pro-opposition lawyers opposing argued on ground of old age but Bar members are still practising up to the age of 70 year old. They also used the propriety argument and claimed it is an abuse of the law (read FMT here).
The move by Mahathir can be seen as trying to buy time as he bullshit his way around the country as though people forgotten of his positions, views and actions in the past that is inconsistent with him today.
No excuse like he repented as used by Syed Saddiq will be accepted. In view of him not apologising specifically on any of his past wrongdoings, the question is what did he repented for?
Mahathir is a through and through political animal.
Nothing he does is without any political reasons. Most of his policies and initiatives are to hide his true motive for power. His economic policies are meant to perpetuate his political presence and seldom fall short thus eventually led to failures and costing billions of bailouts to the country!
The same with the moves he did today.
The truth on the forex loss is it will be a political avalanche he cannot manage and could not control. His attempt at another coup to topple another Prime Minister will fall flat on his face.
The ploy on the CJ appointment is the fight for control over the Federal Court. The Court of Appeal is filled with liberal and pro-oppositions. He believed he has a fighting chance there. The control of the Federal Court is necessary to stop them from overturning the COA.
It is heard Mahathir already planned for the possibility of losing the general election. He realised the announcement by Najib to solve major problems of Felda settlers will hamper his attempt to make in road into Felda areas.
His fallback option is to do a colour revolution. It is something the likes of Mat Sabu is ever eager.
Another is to contest the election results through the court. If the election is a tight race, every seat counts. Rigging the court could turn in his favour. It is not his first time in doing so. He is not unfamiliar at removing Federal Court judges!
By the voices of opposition, their preference for CJ is Tan Sri Richard Malanjun from Sabah. The reason cannot be just because he is Sabahan. Many other states have yet to have a CJ of their own.
Malanjun is not a bad choice. Maybe he could speed up the result of the RCI on project IC of illegal immigrants. Apparently, Mahathir is now championing for Sabah and Sarawak to be given full autonomy status.
Why now when he could have done it since 1981?