The irony of restoring a "dictator" the Reformasi movement once fought to remove may be a stumbling block to Dr Mahathir Mohamad making a comeback as prime minister.

PKR, which yesterday failed to achieve a decision on a prime ministerial candidate at a politburo meeting, had said the party needed to consider the "history and principles of the Reformasi struggle."

This was despite some PKR leaders pushing for Mahathir’s candidacy, with parliamentary whip Johari Abdul claiming that the party would have no qualms about accepting the proposal if it received the blessing of de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

PKR leaders declined to reveal whether they have consulted Anwar on the matter.

However, PKR vice-president Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin yesterday said that Johari's statement was his own personal view, and not the party's.

A political party born out of the Reformasi movement, PKR has to consider the revolt it could face with an already disgruntled base.

One such Reformasi activist is Abdul Razak Ismail, who quit the Otai Reformis movement in July after Mahathir was appointed as Harapan chairperson.

Razak is now even more stumped that the "dictator" whom he had fought to remove could potentially be appointed the opposition's prime ministerial candidate.

“All the 18 years of fighting, from 1998 to 2016, it was all about Reformasi. All that goes down the drain now,” he told Malaysiakini today.

He likened the proposal to eating one's spit.

“Those days you hated Mahathir so much, calling him all sorts of names like 'Mahafiraun'.

“Suddenly now, you are pushing him as your leader, calling the ‘dictator’ to come back and rule your country if Harapan wins the election,” he said.

No reformist

The veteran activist lamented Harapan having to resort to Mahathir since they are bereft of any icons.

Razak noted that there were views that Harapan was making use of Mahathir to gain power, but in his view, it was the former PM using the opposition coalition for his own agenda.

He added that Mahathir should be put on trial instead of being made prime minister if Harapan were to capture Putrajaya.

Otai Reformis member Syed Harun Syed Yacob also disagreed with the proposal to make Mahathir prime minister.

Syed Harun believes that Mahathir has an agenda of his own, and is not necessarily committed to reform.

“Enough is enough for Mahathir,” he said.

One of the reasons why he is against Mahathir as Harapan’s interim prime minister is because he has yet to apologise for things that happened during his 22-year tenure.

“We want him to apologise, but he does not want to apologise, for example, for Operasi Lalang,” he said.

Syed Harun added that Mahathir also did not appear to be doing enough to help free Anwar – the central figure in the Reformasi movement – from prison.

“Mahathir has got contacts internationally. Why can’t he use this power to help free Anwar?” he said.

Strong hand, iron fist

On the other hand, fellow Otai Reformis member Ronnie Liu believes that a Mahathir-led government would help seek a pardon for Anwar, after which the latter can make a comeback in politics, and perhaps become the prime minister eventually.

“(We) believe and trust Harapan will do the necessary.

“We must understand that Anwar has been jailed and even if he comes out, without the pardon, he cannot be the prime minister of this country.

“And these things will not come overnight, it will take months to do it,” he said.

Liu added that the first 48 hours of transition for a country that has never had a change of federal government was critical, and someone experienced, firm and well-connected taking the reins was necessary.

“I think Mahathir is one of those who fits the bill (to lead),” he said.

Mahathir's sacking and subsequent jailing of Anwar in 1998 sparked the Reformasi movement, which helped galvanise the opposition for the general elections that came after.

After being released from prison in 2004, Anwar helped lead the opposition to its largest gains in the 2008 General Election.

However, Anwar was again sent to prison in 2014, also for sodomy, a charge he claims was politically motivated.

Anwar is expected to be freed in the middle of next year, but will face a five-year ban from politics imposed on him due to having served time in prison.