COMMENT   Those unfamiliar with the political terrain of this nation could be forgiven for assuming that Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the new opposition leader.

 

A single blog posting by the Umno patriarch appears to have inflicted greater damage than the crescendo of voices from the opposition.

 

There was nothing new in Mahathir’s latest assault for Pakatan Rakyat has bombarded Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak with the same ordnance for years - the murder of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu.

 

But when Mahathir opened fire, the entire nation sat up and took notice while political pundits check their crystal balls to see if Najib can survive this latest attack.

 

In Umno, there is widespread silence as leaders from top to bottom twiddle their fingers wondering if it would be wise to engage the old man.

 

Such is his influence and his track record of deposing deputies and a serving prime minister is unmatched in this nation.

 

Even the police chief was quick to clear Mahathir of sedition. Taking a hostile stand would be unthinkable.

 

Imagine a team of police personnel raiding the former premier’s office, confiscating his computer and mobile phone.

 

More unimaginable is Mahathir being hauled to court in handcuffs, purple lock-up attire and barefooted.

                                   

That would have been all the ingredients required for a riotous dish and Najib might as well catch the next flight to Ulan Bator.

 

Put simply, Mahathir, the master of statecraft, is untouchable. If this was a Mario Puzo novel and Umno the Sicilian mafia, then the former premier would be the Godfather, the boss of bosses.

 

Even Najib has maintained an elegant silence, opting to cool himself down with coconut water and talking about the delectable spread at hawker centres instead of locking horns with Mahathir.

 

It is also unlikely that the premier, who is fond of slapping critics with legal letters, would even consider dragging Mahathir to court for defamation.

 

Will Najib lose his head?

With Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim now languishing behind bars and poring over the works of Shakespeare, Mahathir appears to have appointed himself the de facto opposition leader.

 

His latest strike had shifted public attention and media glare from the row within the opposition over the hudud bill.

 

Najib has been dragging his feet on making an announcement as to which side of the hudud spectrum Umno would fall, hoping to witness the crumbling of the opposition.

 

True enough, which each sunrise and sunset, Pakatan edged closer to the brink of a break-up.

 

But while Najib is banking on a divine law to behead his rivals, he did not expect Mahathir to give him a public whipping too.

 

So forget Pakatan surviving the hudud quagmire, the focus is now on whether Najib will survive the Godfather’s hit.

 

Najib’s head is on the chopping block and the hooded man bearing the axe is none other than the boss of bosses.

 

AK ANAND is a member of Team Malaysiakini.