A blog of difference for Dr M and Pak Lah
MalaysiaKini.com
Nov 12, 2014

COMMENT Since his retirement in 2003, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has refused to fade from the political scene, continuing to prod and poke those on both sides of the divide.
 
After the 2008 general election dramatically shifted the political tectonic plates, he played a key role in the ouster of his successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
 
Even prior to the landmark election, Mahathir had warned that his handpicked replacement was pressing all the wrong buttons due to his band of ill advisers, known as the fourth-floor boys, led by Abdullah’s Oxford-trained and ambitious son-in-law.
 
Many had expected Mahathir, who possesses an inextinguishable passion for horses, to ride off into the sunset after Najib Abdul Razak took over the reins, as per the plan.
 
But that did not happen.
 
And now Mahathir is aiming his gun at Najib, riddling the latter’s policies, slogans and transformation plans with bullet holes.
 
While most people his age, if still alive and kicking at 89, would be contented to witness another sunrise, Mahathir, even after multiple heart by-pass surgeries, shows little, if at all, signs of slowing down.
                                                                                                                       
He still attends countless functions, where he delivers speeches and then takes potshots at Najib and the opposition when mobbed by reporters afterwards.
 
Occasionally, he raises the temperature by uttering racial remarks, inviting a slew of ridicule, name-calling and derogatory responses.
 
In fact, whenever his articles appear on the news portals, commentators would discard their gloves and label him all sorts of things, ranging from “lunatic” to “Satan” himself.
 
However, Mahathir, who reputedly regards Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ as his theme song, remains unfazed and continues to speak his mind.
 
If all this excitement is not enough for one in his ripe old age, the octogenarian is also an avid blogger, updating it on a weekly basis, and sometimes, even on a daily basis, depending on the issue.
 
It is an open secret that even his foes have a grudging respect for him.
 
Though the jury is divided on him being an exemplary leader, the verdict, however, is unanimous on him being a master in the art of statecraft, albeit with a Machiavellian flavour.
 
Only two postings from Pak Lah
 
In contrast, Abdullah fell into a world of silence after his retirement.
 
Even during his brief tenure as prime minister, he was the butt of jokes and his penchant for the forty winks is legendary, prompting a group of protesters to present him with a pillow to drive home the message that the nation is on the slide while he slept.
 
It was obvious that Abdullah was designed for a “clock-in and clock-out” civil service position but not the “round-the-clock” post of prime minister.
 
Furthermore, he was too timid to lead a party like Umno, with its countless warlords.
 
Recently Abdullah, who is fondly known as Pak Lah, decided to start up a blog in conjunction with Malaysia Day on Sept 16 to share his views regarding the nation.
 
And soon after this, the difference between him and Mahathir became apparent again.
 
Since its inception, there have only been two postings from Abdullah, with the last being on Oct 4 where the he penned on the importance of sincerity.
 
As for Mahathir, Malaysians are waiting to see if the Umno grandmaster would add another scalp to his collection, that of Najib.

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