COMMENT As Typhoon Noul threatened the neighbouring Philippines, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak unleashed his own in Tawau, Sabah.

On Sunday, Najib reminded former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad of the backing he got when Mahathir almost lost as Umno president in 1987.

Now, Mahathir should return the favour, insisted Najib, and if he cannot do so, he should keep quiet.

As I said in my last article , Najib may not make the best of moves but all his manoeuvres are calculated. Some do hit the target.

Najib said this during a rally in Sabah, BN's one of two (the other being Sarawak) electoral 'fixed deposits' in the island of Borneo.

He said it before a crowd of 40,000 supporters. That is a huge crowd. More than double of what we saw at the May Day Kita Lawan anti-GST rally.

With the beating of drums and the chant of 'Najib, Najib,'Najib!', the stage was set for him to invoke his Bugis roots and vow never to surrender.

This is what Najib was quoted as saying by Bernama: "When he was in trouble, we supported him to stay on. If we did not support our leader in a time of trial, he (Mahathir) would not have lasted for 22 years as prime minister.

"So, do not forget, when he (Mahathir) became prime minister, we gave him full support. Now when he is no longer prime minister, support us in return. If (he) cannot support, then don’t make so much noise."

Touched a raw nerve

In his efforts to fight back, Najib has certainly touched a raw nerve.

He is bringing back the past. Looks like the tremors from the 1987 "earthquake" are still being felt until today.

Najib does have a point. He gave his support to Mahathir when Tun was at his most vulnerable.

To see that point, let's briefly revisit the "mother of all elections" held as a result of the Mahathir-Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah feud in 1987.

Some may think the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim by Mahathir in 1998 was big. It was. But the battle between Mahathir and Ku Li, I think, was bigger.

It even led to the constitutional crisis in 1988, with the suspension and removal of the then Lord President of the Supreme Court, Mohamed Salleh Abas, and other judges.

In the 1987 battle, the old Umno was split right down the middle, with Team A and Team B. They were fighting to take control of Umno. The tussle became more intense after former prime ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman and Hussein Onn backed Tengku Razaleigh.

In the end, Mahathir won by only 43 votes. Ku Li later went on to form Parti Melayu Semangat 46.

It was so close that Najib can be right to think his support did matter. Another 22 votes for Tengku Razaleigh and he would have been the prime minister.

Who is to say Najib could not muster that number of Umno divisional leaders for Ku Li if he had supported the Kelantan prince?

However, by asking Mahathir to return his favour, did Najib checkmate Mahathir? Not quite yet.

Mahathir, political chess master

Mahathir, who is a master of political chess himself, would say that he had already returned the favour.

Since the 1987 saga, Mahathir, without fail, appointed Najib to his cabinet.

Mahathir was also instrumental in pressuring his successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, after the 2008 general election, which eventually led to Najib taking over the reins of the country in 2009.

Mahathir can say to Najib: "Without me, you won't be a prime minister today."

So there you go. Mahathir is not going to stop making noise.

And Najib, for all intents and purposes, may have crossed the Rubicon.

Now, for the first time, I feel that there will be a battle for the Umno presidency in the next party elections, which will be due next year.

I may be wrong. But if I am right, who is going to challenge Najib?

G JEGATHESAN is a member of the Malaysiakini team.

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