COMMENT | Dr Mahathir Mohamad dismantled our institutions, took away the independence of our judiciary and the police, emasculated the civil service, downplayed the importance of English, mooted the suggestion that Malaysia was an Islamic state, used the ISA against his critics and much more.

Therefore, would you allow Mahathir to spearhead the opposition charge against Najib Abdul Razak?

One political analyst said, "This is just a variation of "It takes a thief to catch a thief". So, it will take a dictator to know another tyrant.

"The real reason Najib is afraid is because Mahathir is a better political tactician and strategist than he.

"Mahathir was the leader for 22 years. He knows the tricks of the trade, what levers to pull, how to communicate with the rural people, how to wield the stick, how to reward civil servants and cronies.

"Najib simply perfected some of Mahathir's techniques.

"Now that they are on opposite sides, Najib wants to punish Mahathir by applying pressure, on Mahathir's inner circle and his children, and dismantling Mahathir's legacy, like Proton.

"The problems in Proton did not develop overnight. When Mahathir was PM, Najib and his cabinet were waxing lyrical about Proton. Now, Najib is behaving like a jilted girlfriend, because of their political differences."

Another political cynic said, "Mahathir may have been our first dictator, but Najib is just a poor copy.

"Mahathir's ideas were original, whereas Najib is like the kid sitting next to you, who copies your answers in an exam, and makes a hash of it.

"In August 2016, when Najib officiated at the launch of the Tangga Batu Umno division in Malacca, he stressed that he was "not a dictator and not a one-man show". A year later, at the opening of the Masjid Tanah Umno division in Alor Gajah, Najib again declared that he was "not a dictator, unlike Mahathir".

"Najib insists that he is not a dictator, too much. The more he stresses the point, the more he looks like one. The more he speaks ill of Mahathir, the more he makes Mahathir look angelic.

"If Najib disagrees with Mahathir's past policies, why doesn't he abandon them? The NEP. The affirmative action policies. The religious attacks. The dumbing-down of education and language."

In the past two years, politics has been turned on its head. Bersatu was formed and Mahathir propelled himself forward, in the fight to topple Najib. Najib will not admit it, but Mahathir is hurting him.

When the PM spends much of his time defending his actions, slagging-off the opposition, launching a tirade against his former boss and trying to justify his actions, there is only one conclusion. Najib is afraid....