Mahathir and Mahinda

Tuesday 22nd November, 2022

Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, 97, has suffered an ignominious electoral defeat, the first in 53 years. He has lost not only his parliamentary seat in the Langkawi island constituency but also his deposit! He became the Prime Minister of Malaysia in 1981 and held that post until 2003. He pulled off a stunning comeback in 2018 and served as the Prime Minister again until 2020. Interestingly, the news of his humiliating defeat came close on the heels of the celebration of the 77th birthday of former President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, who also cannot bring himself to leave politics.

Mahathir and Mahinda are worlds apart in some respects. There are however some similarities between them. Both of them are iron-fisted political leaders who have dominated and shaped the politics of their countries. They are headstrong, intolerant of political dissent and no respecters of the West. They also wear their brands of patriotism on their sleeves.

As for the dissimilarities between the duo, Mahathir built the Malaysian economy to the present level and, and oversaw his country’s transformation into one of the wealthiest nations in the region. He has therefore come to be dubbed ‘the Father of Modern Malaysia’. Mahinda oversaw Sri Lanka’s successful war on terror, some development drives and a significant increase in per capita income, but sadly he became the Prime Minister of a government that presided over the country’s descent into bankruptcy.

One striking similarity between Mahathir and Mahinda is their reluctance to come to terms with reality and let go of power and positions. A crushing electoral defeat is a fate worse than death for all politicians across the globe, for power is their raison d’etre.

Both Mahathir and Mahinda would not have been in the current predicament if they had been wise enough to hang up their political boots, so to speak, when their popularity was at its zenith, instead of trying to revive their political careers too late in the day. Their efforts remind us of the Oscar-winning flick, Birdman, which is about a washed-up Hollywood actor, who struggles to resurrect his career only to cut a pathetic figure.

Mahathir should have known better than to return to politics as a nonagenarian. Similarly, it was a colossal mistake for Mahinda to change the Constitution and seek a third presidential term in 2015. He made another blunder by re-entering Parliament and securing the premiership, which he had to give up due to public protests, a few moons ago. No less a person than his elder brother, Chamal, has said he should have retired gracefully after completing his second term in 2015. If only Chamal had prevailed on his malli to do so about eight years ago.

There are signs of sobering reality having a mellowing effect on Mahathir’s thinking at long last. In a recent media interview, he has said, “I don’t see myself being active in politics until I’m 100-years-old … the most important thing is to transfer my experience to the younger leaders of the party.” He could have done so without returning to active politics in his nineties, and suffering a humiliating loss. It looks as if Mahinda could not retire anytime soon, thanks to some familial encumbrances he is saddled with. His family members and backers seem to think it will be curtains for them if he leaves politics for good. So, his long trudge in politics is likely to continue.

One can only hope that political leaders here as well as elsewhere will learn from the mistakes of Mahathir and Mahinda and refrain from remaining in, or betaking themselves to, active politics when it is time for them to bow out or be put out to pasture.