Fighting to get rid of an incumbent PM or government is never easy, given the massive power of incumbency. If by now we still fail to appreciate the difficulties faced by those who try to do so, we must be quite blind and ignorant.

I am bewildered when criticisms are so lavishly levelled against those who try to make the situations in the country right. Hence, what else is new - Anwar Ibrahim is immoral, Lim Kit Siang is chauvinistic, and Dr Mahathir Mohamad has never changed his spots, and now wanting to set up another ‘racist’ party.

We like to go back in history to judge a person based on what he has said and done. We hold them to account forever without realising that times and circumstances have changed and will continue to change.

Hence, we hold on to what we heard so often - what could Mahathir, the alleged father of thieves and cronyism, the alleged destroyer of institutions and the alleged promoter of corruption - do to correct the situations in our country now? We want him to go back to undo what he has done instead of looking forward to the future.

Whether we like it or not, Mahathir has provided his assessment of Malaysia today. He has also provided some solutions, including forming a new ‘racist’ party. However, more importantly, are we in agreement with him? Do we agree that the situation in the country has reached the tipping point? Do we agree that we need new approaches? We are not compelled to agree with him; after all, he is old and ‘powerless’ now.

Many of us are very ‘idealistic’ in our criticism of Mahathir. We are also very ‘idealistic’ in what we want. We nit-pick Mahathir and condemn him for causing our present state of affairs. We want a multiracial and multi-religious Malaysia, but without realising the insecurity and racism still lurking inside many of us.

I am a country bumpkin in politics so I will just ask a few simple questions. I hope all of us will answer truthfully and honestly to these questions.

First, do we consider the situations in our country today graver than during Mahathir era?

Second, who do you think PM Najib Abdul Razak would consider his most dangerous and worthy opponent now - Lim Kit Siang, Anwar Ibrahim, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Hadi Awang, Azmin Ali, Muhyiddin Yassin or Mahathir?

Third, who do you think Umno fear the most, DAP, PKR, PAS or the new Bersatu party?

Fourth, if without Mahathir today opposing, lamenting and agitating, do you think Malaysians, especially the Malays, would be as well-informed and concerned with the issues confronting the nation?

Fifth, what would be the state of opposition politics in the country today if Mahathir were not on the scene?

When Malaysia needs a 91-year-old former PM to lead the charge, what does that tell us? It speaks volumes of opposition disarray, the difficulties the opposition face, the power as well as the failure of institutions, and the increasing power concentration in the hand of the few.