newsmaker n. One whose actions consistently make news headlines, who effects the course of public discourse and creates an impact in Malaysian politics, for better or worse.

According to the Chinese almanac, 2006 is the Year of the Dog and true enough, we heard the growls and saw teeth being bared.

The last 365 days have left a scar on our beloved prime minister. His trademark broad grin has narrowed, to the point that some believe it now resembles a frown.

Things have not exactly been peachy for the First son-in-law either. The Oxford-trained lad hit several bumps along the road in what was supposed to be a smooth ride to the pinnacle of power.

Both Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Khairy Jamaluddin were nominees for the malaysiakini ‘Newsmaker of the Year’ award, but failed to unseat a maverick who simply would not roll over and play dead.

Our hero’s journey began many moons ago. He ascended the throne after battling titans, emerging victorious even when the odds were against him.

Even when his detractors claimed he had lost his marbles, he gallantly faced the threats and challenges from within the kingdom and outside.

After a long reign, he decided three years ago that it was time to step down, confident that his legacy would live on. He picked an unlikely successor and rode off into the sunset. Some cried, some rejoiced, but they all believed they had seen the last of him.

He did not have many regrets. The elders say his favourite song - ‘ My Way ’ by Frank Sinatra - is testimony to this:

Regrets, I've had a few

But then again, too few to mention

I did what I had to do and saw it through without exception

I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway

And more, much more than this, I did it my way...

But suddenly, things stopped going his way and there were signs that his legacy was being dismantled. He was incensed and contemplated another battle.

The final straw was when his successor took a liking to a different tune, a nursery rhyme adapted to the times:

Crooked bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down

Crooked bridge is falling down, my fair...

...you guessed it! Dr Mahathir Mohamad is our Newsmaker of 2006!

Another victim?

When the Abdullah administration announced that it was scrapping the scenic half-bridge to Singapore, Mahathir snapped.

He also surprised many, including malaysiakini , when he granted an interview to this news organisation which he once said was operated by ‘traitors’.

During the interview, Mahathir expressed disappointment with his successor and a full-blooded dogfight was soon underway.

His trusted lieutenant Mathias Chang entered the fray, exposing document after document to prove how Abdullah had erred. He even called Khairy the country’s de facto prime minister.

Abdullah bit his lip, not wanting to be seen as disrespectful to his predecessor. He politely maintained that what he did was for the good of the nation and also revealed documents to prove his story.

But Mahathir was not satisfied and the attacks became blunter. He accused his successor of selling out the nation. He also claimed that Abdullah was guilty of nepotism with regard to lucrative transactions favouring his son Kamaluddin and Khairy.

Malaysians were shocked. They began to wonder if Mahathir, who had a knack for bringing political careers to a premature end, would do so again.

The saga became the talk of the town. In many coffee-shops, the epicentre of Malaysian politics, pundits predicted Game Over for Abdullah and his crew.

Abdullah kept his lips pursed but decided to unleash his lieutenants. Leading the charge was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

Mahathir, 81, then began to complain about how the media, especially the New Straits Times , was muzzling his views. The daily’s top editors too became frequent targets during his talks.

He also took regular swipes at Khairy and never failed to mention the Approved Permits scandal and the ‘mismanagement’ of Proton.

Later, he claimed that Abdullah was preventing him from meeting Umno members. This, however, was denied by the premier.

Mahathir then took his grouses to the opposition-controlled state Kelantan where he was hit by a spray of mace during an attack allegedly stemming from a dispute between two rival groups of supporters.

In September, the former premier decided to contest as a delegate to represent the Kubang Pasu Umno division - which he led for about 30 years until his retirement in 2003 - to the party’s annual general assembly in Kuala Lumpur.

However, he failed to make the cut and blamed money politics as well as government interference for his defeat.

Minor setback

In November, our hero suffered a setback when a mild heart attack landed him in the hospital for several days. He has since recovered and is back on his feet.

At the moment, things appear to be calm although Abdullah recently vented his frustration about “ the old man ” in an interview with Thai newspaper Bangkok Post .

Mahathir made headlines early this month when he shook hands with the man whom he once called a “moron”, Jewish billionaire and former financial speculator George Soros.

Will our hero remain silent or is he waiting for the opportune moment to launch a new wave of attacks?

It is well-known that the word ‘surrender’ does not exist in the octogenarian’s vocabulary. Brace yourself for Round Two.

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