COMMENT An anticipated relief from having the 13th general election sooner rather than later is that the country would be saved the gibberish that gushes these days from its supposedly retired fourth prime minister.

Its profusion has arrived at the point where those staggered by the drivel would be inclined to harbour the wish that the polls would be held soon and would yield results that would shut him up for good.

On second thought, that would be wishful thinking - not the real possibility that the election results would give him the hiccups; it's the notion that there could be any eventuality that would leave Dr Mahathir Mohamad tongue tied for long.

He is the sort of man who even if the imminent polls produce results that would have him plastered, Mahathir will find ways to secrete his offal which if not given due diligence by the media would prompt a round of whining from him that his freedom to disport has been denied...