KEDAH Barisan Nasional and Umno politicians should stop belittling Dr Mahathir Mohamad, especially if it wants to retain the state in the 14^th general election, the party’s veterans warned.

They said the former prime minister is still highly respected in the northern state and many within Umno are secretly supporting him.

Mohd Hadzir Ismail, who is secretary of the state’s chapter of Former Elected Representatives Council (Mubarak), said Dr Mahathir’s influence in Kedah remains strong, namely among the Umno veterans. 

“BN and Umno cannot take him lightly because he has influence with the old-timers,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Hadzir also wondered why BN leaders are dismissing the contributions of the Kedah-born Dr Mahathir, who led Malaysia for 22 years.

“He developed Kedah, brought development to Langkawi, Bukit Kayu Hitam, the Kulim Hi-Tech Park. All that is his legacy.”

Hadzir, who was formerly Kedah Umno information chief, said older voters are openly pitching for Dr Mahathir, who is Pakatan Harapan’s choice for prime minister should the opposition capture Putrajaya in GE14.

“That is the reaction we are seeing in Kedah. They are openly declaring their support. There are also those who are supporting him quietly.

“Some say ‘wait and see’, but the situation is serious enough that I am saying Umno cannot underestimate Dr Mahathir’s influence.”

The warning comes even as Kedah Umno seems confident of keeping the state in BN’s control, disregarding the Dr Mahathir “threat”.

Dr Mahathir recently rebuked Prime Minister and Umno president Najib Razak for mocking his age, telling his one-time political protege not to be arrogant about his youth.

This was after the 64-year-old Najib had said no country in the world wanted a 93-year-old leader, and Malaysia would never achieve developed nation status under an old man.

BN’s chances are slim

Enraged by the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal and government’s silence on the episode, Dr Mahathir quit Umno in late February 2016.

He formed Bersatu with former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his son, Mukhriz, who was Kedah menteri besar from 2013 until he was ousted in early 2016.

He then took Bersatu into the PH pact, working with PKR, DAP and PAS splinter party Amanah.

In GE14, Bersatu and PKR will each contest six parliamentary seats in Kedah while Amanah will take on three.

Kedah PH is still negotiating the allocation of its 36 state seats. It has yet to settle four seats – Gurun, Kulim, Guar Chempedak and Pantai Merdeka.

Analysts largely think BN has a slim chance of retaining the state and parliamentary seats in Kedah because of the silent protests among its supporters.

Invoke, in its recent study, announced that PH could take Kedah with a 22-14 win. The think-tank also predicted that PH could capture 10 out of the 15 parliamentary seats.

There are about 1.2 million voters in Kedah, with 20% or close to 230,000 above the age of 60.

Former Pokok Sena Umno division committee member Ramly Chik said the veterans are not the only ones supportive of Dr Mahathir.

“The younger generation is with him, too. His influence among university students and the educated is strong,” he said.

Internal revolt in Umno

Another Umno veteran, who only gave his name as Man, said the old-timers are angry at the party and BN for the way they are treating Dr Mahathir, a former party president.

He said Umno’s criticism against Dr Mahathir had gone overboard.

“Party veterans feel a sense of closeness with him, a statesman. They can’t take how Umno is treating him,” said the former teacher who was once an office-bearer in the party.

“An internal revolt is brewing. It is just that most do not want to come forward and admit it,” he said, citing the last revolt in 2008 that saw Kedah fall to the opposition for the first time.

“In the 2008 general election, BN lost due to sabotage by its own supporters. I can see it happening again,” he said. – March 22, 2018.