By P Ramasamy

GEORGETOWN, Malaysia--It is hilarious to hear that Pejuang is positioning itself to lead the opposition to fight the Umno-led BN on the agenda of anti-corruption.

Pejuang’s chairman and twice former prime minister Mahathir Mohammad thinks that the party can lead the battle against Umno/BN as they did the way it was done in the last general election.

Mahathir might have led the opposition coalition but he was the same person responsible for undermining the PH coalition leading to its downfall as result of the infamous Sheraton Move.

It is not whether Pejuang can lead the PH coalition, it is the question of whether the opposition coalition is going to trust Mahathir this time around.

Once bitten twice shy.

Mahathir can talk about the fact that he is the champion of the anti-corruption crusade in the country.

But what about the earlier 22 years when he was the prime minister, didn’t his pro-Malay policies encourage and condone corruption among the Umno elite in the name of addressing the economic grievances of the Malays.

Didn’t his close cronies, both Malays and non-Malays benefit from government policies and economic handouts.

If this is not corruption, then what is corruption then.

What about his family members, did they slough their way up to attain social and economic status or benefitted from family connections?

Isn’t this corruption?

Pejuang shouldn’t think and act as though it is the only party to have the sole right to define and label those who are corrupted.

Of course, those who are labelled as corrupt are those in Umno whom Mahathir has nothing but distaste.

There are those who have indulged in acts of corruption but considered allies of Pejuang and Mahathir who are exempted from being labelled as corrupt.

Sorry to say, Mahathir hardly fits the bill of a person or a leader  who is well regarded on the matter of fighting corruption.

Mahathir cannot be changed man twice.

I don’t think that the opposition are in a position to trust him not just on eradicating corruption but to bestow him the thrust and responsibility to lead the country once again.

The opposition must be considered mad to trust Mahathir the second time.

The leopard never changes its spots.

Mahathir must admit the sad truth that he is a spent force in Malaysian politics.

He cannot say whatever he wants since there are no serious takers of his thoughts and ideas.

The recently held Johor elections are a sad reminder of the political limits of Pejuang.

For a party that lost election deposits in all the seats contested, it should just wither away from the realm of Malaysian politics.