COMMENT And so the prime minister has enlisted his second-in-command and the entire cabinet in his war against Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

 

But the former premier is not training his cannons on the rest. He only has Najib Abdul Razak in his crosshairs. He has made no calls for the resignation of other ministers in the current administration. He only wants the prime minister's head to roll.

 

So it was strange that Najib should declare that "we will not surrender" in what was an obvious response to Mahathir's unrelenting bombardment.

 

Najib - who remarked that he does not feel "lonely" in a jab at Mahathir who bemoaned he was "alone" in his quest - has transformed his personal battle into a collective one. Transformation is after all his main agenda.

 

He also mentioned the "honourable" Muhyiddin Yassin and put his deputy on the spot.

 

Nobody knows which side of the battle the deputy prime minister is standing on. He seems to have one foot on this side and the other foot on that side. Some have called on him to lead the charge against Najib instead of waiting for Mahathir to clear the path for him.

 

Nevertheless, Najib has given the impression that his entire cabinet and members of the administration are behind him.

 

This is however far from the truth.

 

There have been subtle calls from various ministers urging the prime minister to address the allegations raised by Mahathir.

 

Perhaps this latest development would force Muhyiddin to place both feet in one spot instead of being a political ballerina. He must make it clear whether he is with Najib or Mahathir. The same applies to the rest of the cabinet.

 

Najib's remarks yesterday on national TV also showed a degree of brazenness unseen in his earlier response to Mahathir. Has the prime minister decided to remove his gloves as well?

 

Drawing inspiration from his heritage, he cited how a Bugis seafarer never turns back even in the face of a tidal wave and that it is more honourable to fight the tempest than to retreat.

 

These are bold words and Mahathir should take heed as some believe the term "bogeyman" referred to fierce Bugis pirates who preyed on early English or Dutch trading vessels and hence the tales of "Bugimen" brought back to Europe.

 

(Disclaimer: The above statement does not allude to Najib being a pirate or suggest that he is plundering the nation's coffers. This is to avoid the risk of being slapped with another letter of demand from his lawyers.)

 

But Najib, too, must not underestimate Mahathir's heritage.

 

This is because the fearsome Indian martial art known as 'Kalaripayattu' - which means the way of the battlefield - originated from the state of Kerala where the former premier's paternal roots can be found. And Mahathir has an enviable list of casualties.

 

The message which Najib intended to put across was that unlike his immediate predecessor who was more interested in the art of somnolence and opted to resign as opposed to sailing through troubled waters, his salt water drenched genetic code is designed to brave the mightiest of storms.

 

Mahathir on the other hand has warned that if Najib continues to captain the ship then it is bound for the bottom of the ocean and a mutiny must be mounted to avert this fate.

 

'Wild allegations'

 

Najib had also cautioned critics not to throw "wild allegations" that could confuse the people which was perhaps in response to Mahathir's innuendos about the murder of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu.

                       

He is spot on. The people are indeed confused - confused about how this government has managed to remain in power for more than five decades with such shenanigans.

 

The prime minister's latest remarks are bound to infuriate the former premier further for he dislikes those who do not adhere to his orders. He has perhaps already crafted his next assault.

 

Anwar Ibrahim is a living example of the extent Mahathir is prepared to go in order to neutralise a foe. He operates along Machiavellian lines and there is no room for sentimental values in politics as far as he is concerned.

 

Mahathir is not accustomed to defeat and is bound to increase his attacks on Najib after this latest round. This is where Umno must decide.

 

Are its members and leaders prepared to gamble their future with a president who is saddled with allegations and run the risk of its former president destroying the party he formed and burying their political ambitions with it albeit with the aim of saving Umno?

 

Mahathir has nothing to lose at his age. He is, after all, pushing 90 and will be meeting his maker soon. It would not even come as a surprise if he is willing to place his son's political career on the sacrificial altar to achieve his aim.

 

There has always been the suspicion that tucked away in Mahathir's closet are many skeletons, both figurative and literal. But these are not his - for those bones are stashed in different closets which detractors claim are located as far as in Switzerland - but that of others, and if exposed woe would befall all in Umno.

 

In his speech at the Umno general assembly in August 1998 - a month before he sacked Anwar - Mahathir had remarked that leaders are not permanent.

 

"Never allow short-term gains to blind us to the long-term losses. Nothing is permanent in this world. Umno would not remain forever. But its lifespan should not be cut short because of our carelessness and obsession with quick profits.

 

"Save and preserve Umno. Leaders do not remain forever. They can be changed or new leaders can be found."

 

So expect more fireworks to light up the 1Malaysian sky in the days to come.

                                                                                                                       

 

RK ANAND is a member of the Malaysiakini team.