COMMENT | A poet friend wrote: “In poetry, pessimism is the highest form of optimism. In politics, optimism is the direct cause of pessimism.”

Cynical as my friend is with partisan politics, his cryptic composition reminds me of BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s claim that only Umno can return the country to the “original Malaysia”.

That, certainly, is a cause of my pessimism. Could the 15th general election (GE15) return us to the “original” state of nepotism, cronyism, and public corruption with impunity?

Maybe. Unless first-time voters can remobilise to achieve what was thought unachievable in 2018.

Zahid’s claims are old, tired – basically boring. His ‘optimism’, and former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s regular campaign appearances, despite both their numerous criminal charges yet to be decided by the court, underscore their strategy to use a possible BN win to evade a jail sentence.

However, we do not forget easily. The political past is never dead even as Zahid sells his message that the only option for the Malays is to return to the “original Malaysia”.

Zahid’s backward focus, and that of his ilk, perfectly underscores the Malay proverb: Bagai ludah naik ke langit, menimpa muka sendiri juga (spitting in the air to land back on one’s face).

For all his dirty politics, the...