Mahathir and the Mageran

It’s truly amazing how Dr Mahathir Mohamad has managed to keep his backside on or close to the seat of power for close to all of Malaysia’s history. The dude’s been around so long, we’re sure there’s a yet-undiscovered cave drawing of him somewhere in Alor Setar.

And like the hero or villain (depending on where you stand on the great Mahathir divide) in any movie, every time people think the nonagenarian’s ready to ride off into the sunset on one of his over 40 horses, he comes back.

After all, just three years ago, Malaysia’s 4th prime minister managed to charm the pants off the opposition (and the rakyat!), to become our 7th premier. Sure, it was just for two years, but still…

Now, despite all his BS about being too old to sit in that big non-orthopaedic t̶h̶r̶o̶n̶e̶ swivel chair in Putrajaya, Maddey seems to be hatchin’ another cunning plan to get back into power, a plan we’re dubbing the Mageran Objective. 

The Ma-what now? The Majlis Gerakan Negara (Mageran) or National Operations Council (NOC). You can read more about it here and here, but tl;dr, Mageran was a 14-member council that governed Malaysia for two years after an emergency was called following the blood-soaked 1969 race riots.

Back then, the council worked as a pseudo-Cabinet, aimed at bringing law and order during a security crisis and amidst a very divided Malaysia (you can read more about this dark time in Malaysia’s history here).

During his tête-à-tête with the Agong on Thurs, Mahathir suggested a Mageran-esque caretaker gomen be assembled during this emergency to stabilise PM Muhyiddin Yassin’s achy, breaky, shaky, quakey administration; tackle the worsening pandemic (enjoy that lockdown extension, btw!); and lift Malaysia out of the quagmire we’re in – at least till we reach herd immunity against Covid-19.

And totally-not-Thanos-like-power-crazy Mads has humbly (cough, cough) offered to lead this super team to snap things back in shape. We see what you did there, ol’ boy.

One snag though – His Majesty feels the idea should come from Moodin’s gomen. Unfortunately for PM4/7, we don’t think PM8 is gonna be on board, if the swift rejection of Mageran by the latter’s close aide is any indication.

Moo’s been hanging on to dear Putrajaya by the very fine thread of his sarong for months now. But his command of majority support at Parliament has never been tested, seeing as how a timely (ahem) emergency declaration by the King in Jan (upon the PM’s advice, mind you) to curb Covid shuttered Dewan Rakyat and any potential vote of confidence/no-confidence.

We covered the recent politicking, wheelings and dealings in yesterdays’ newsletter. You can check it out here or get a free month’s trial when you sign up.

And while Mageran would have more absolute power over the running of the country than the current b̶a̶c̶k̶d̶o̶o̶r̶ gomen, the seat of power may not be held by Moo. FYI, back in 69, it was deputy PM Abdul Razak Hussein — and not PM Tunku Abdul Rahman— who led the council and who ultimately took over as premier.

But Malaysia’s currently facing a health and economic crisis, not a security one, so the Langkawi MP’s proposed a few changes to the King — that the small council be formed by merit-based economy, health, education and social area experts appointed by His Highness, and that Parliament resume.

But questions gotta be asked, would a 1969 idea work in 2021 Malaysia? Is this a visionary idea by an experienced leader, or yet another rehashed plot by a 95-year-old man unable to see beyond the past (remember national car 3.0, or the crooked bridge? Or his literally “old” LOTR-like Council of Elders?) Bt-Dubs, Mageran also left us saddled with the New Economic Policy (NEP), the ramifications of which are still being felt today.

And of course, the other question is – if you need a team of technocrats in Cabinet during a crisis, what’s the justification to giving unqualified MPs Cabinet portfolios at all other times? In other words, if these experts are the best people for the job, shouldn’t they permanently have the job?

Mads is insisting his grand plan would restore power to the Agong (some would argue the office of Agong is more powerful and influential now than it has been for a long time) and Parliament, reduce politicking (like that will EVER happen!) and prevent power grabs (with our politicians? Dream on!) in future. Also, moolah saved from the salaries of Moo’s current bloated 72-member Cabinet can be rechanneled to vaccines, food and other important stuff.

But not all folks are convinced the doctor’s in it for 100% altruistic reasons. Mahathir’s grand scheme is also seeing opposition by his former allies in Anwar Ibrahim-led Pakatan Harapan, who want the emergency to end and Parliament to reopen ASAP.

There’s also all that talk of statutory declarations and a push by some Umno folks to see Hishammudin “Vapin” Hussein take up the PM9 mantle, with Bersatu’s Azmin “Sheraton Move” Ali as his numero dos. Hmmm… would anybody put it past Azmin to stab two of his political bosses in the back in as many years? Time will tell.

So should Mahathir’s Mageran be formed or not? Either way, we don’t think our ol’ codger’s done just yet, and this could be more infinity war than endgame.