MAHATHIR'S WISHLIST AT AGE 98 - KEMAMAN SEAT & STANDBY PM-CANDIDATE? - NO FREE LUNCH FOR 'SG4' PAS FROM 'STINGY' OLD DR M

KUALA LUMPUR (Politics Now!) -  At age 98, it looks like former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is still angling to become prime minister again - for the third time!

He has begun pestering PAS to let him contest at the Kemaman federal seat, a long-time PAS bastion and a sure-win for whoever contests there with the blessings of the PAS leadership.

“Talks have started with PAS leaders on his candidacy,” Free Malaysia Today news portal reported a source close to Mahathir as saying.

“Mahathir wields huge influence among the Malay electorate and grassroots leaders. If he wins, he will be the oldest MP to be elected."

"(But) the most important thing is that they want to put Dr M in Parliament to represent the interests of the four state governments. There is no point talking outside the House.”

Mahathir was recently appointed as economics and investments adviser to the four PAS-led state governments, namely Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis. 

NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH, ESPECIALLY FROM FRUGAL DR M!

While the wily Mahathir, who is also known for his penny-pinching ways, appeared happy to accept the appointment, his loyalists in Malay-rights movement Perkasa have since fired a shot at PAS - asking. why it did not appoint Bersatu chief Muhyiddin Yassin instead 

"I think Mahathir and his supporters such as Perkasa are telling PAS there's no such thing as a free lunch," a commentator told Politics Now!

"So Kemaman is the payout. It's political power that Dr M craves and not money. Also, who is to say what a return to Parliament can do for his career. For now, PAS and Bersatu are seen as racists and so is Mahathir. The difference is, he has the breadth and depth of experience they lack, especially PAS whom foreign investors fear the most, while Muhyiddin is not able to attract respect." 

STAND-BY PM-CANDIDATE? 

Indeed, foreign investors and foreign governments do know Mahathir. They may hate his outspoken ways but his leadership is generally accepted. 

"Dr M can be a stand-by PM candidate for PAS if an opportunity arises and they are at odds with Muhyiddin and Bersatu, while their own leaders such as (Kedah MB) Sanusi and (Terengganu MB) Samsuri Mokhtar are deemed still not ready for the very topmost post." 

In an almost immediate response, several top PAS leaders have rushed out to deny the speculation.  

According to PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, Mahathir himself had indicated he only wanted to contribute and had no intention to run in elections.

“Mahathir doesn’t want to contest in elections anymore. He said this himself," said Tuan Ibrahim.

“He only said that he wanted to contribute whatever he can while he is still around.” 

PAS IN THE DARK

Meanwhile, PAS vice president and Terengganu MB Samsuri Mokhtar also claims to be in the dark over Mahathir's 'comeback'.

"There has been no discussion until today and we have not actually had a 'sit down' among the top leadership about preparations for the election, especially the selection of candidates," Samsuri was quoted as saying in Utusan Malaysia.

"There is also no date fixed yet to discuss (candidates list), maybe next week I will go to Kuala Lumpur." 

The Kemaman seat was recently declared vacant after the court annulled PAS' victory during the 15th general election last year, on the grounds of election fraud and bribery.

Politics Now!