AT the height of his political troubles 20 years ago, Anwar Ibrahim sought refuge and succour from the people whose love for him was unconditional. 

It was from Permatang Pauh on the mainland of Penang that he launched the stout defence of his innocence and where he had accused Dr Mahathir Mohamad of political conspiracy.

Today, Najib Razak sets out on a similar journey. He heads to Pekan, the Pahang royal town, and the constituency that has been a Razak family heirloom. His late father, prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein, was the MP before him there.

This is his oasis from anger, disgust that he has received from Malaysians since his family’s ostentatious lifestyle made the news after Barisan Nasional’s disastrous defeat in GE14 on May 9.

Like Anwar in Permatang Pauh 20 years ago, which delivered votes to his family through the darkest days, Pekan is where Najib will once again feel like a king.

But the parallel can only go so far.

A significant number of Malaysians believed that Anwar was sacked and jailed for sodomy because he had become a threat to Dr Mahathir. That sentiment had translated to real support for the opposition in 1999 where even Najib scraped through with a 241-vote majority to keep Pekan.

In contrast, only few Malaysians believe Najib’s narrative about not knowing what happened at 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). This reality explains the Malaysian tsunami when even Umno members and supporters voted for Dr Mahathir’s Pakatan Harapan.

But Najib inhabits his own universe. So, expect him to spew fighting words in Pekan. Expect him to try and energise the Umno ground from here.

But don’t expect a groundswell in support of him. Malaysians are not interested in fighting his battle for survival. And neither is Umno. – May 20, 2018.