THE Klang Valley is gripped with speculation of changes in political alignment, two days after Pakatan Harapan (PH) agreed that Dr Mahathir Mohamad can remain as prime minister until he deems fit to leave after the Kuala Lumpur Apec Summit.

Dr Mahathir’s Bersatu leadership is meeting at its Petaling Jaya headquarters while PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali’s faction is holed up at the nearby Sheraton Hotel.

It is understood Umno and PAS leaders are also in talks.

Would Malaysia see a new government by the end of this weekend? One that is more Malay-centric as political pundits have said in the past two months?

How would such a “unity government” really help anyone in Malaysia?

Would it mean more money for everyone in Malaysia? Where would that money come from? Benevolent Saudi donors? Some units locked up in a Caribbean bank?

Would it mean a better economy immediately? Oil palm smallholders would be swimming in money?

Perhaps even those who gambled on durian plantations carved out of virgin jungles in Kelantan and Pahang?

Would it mean fewer terrorists running around?

Would it also mean the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, the SRC International funds found in Najib Razak’s private bank accounts or Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s foundation funds used to pay his credit cards are just figments of our collective imagination?

Would it mean all those fat defence contracts with nothing to show is just a long tale told by those in power now?

Twenty-one months into power, PH is still beset with talk of power transfer and fights within some of its larger component parties. What it should really do is work on its manifesto promises and get the economy up to speed.

The economy slowed down last year, and notwithstanding that, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has dished out a respectable 5.45% dividend for all its contributors.

So, more needs to be done about the economy. Less needs to be done about politics and talk of unity government now.

The people were united in 2018 to kick out the kleptocratic Barisan Nasional government. They swallowed the promises made by PH despite some misgivings if such a government of one-time political foes would work.

That government is in place now. Just do the work, change the leadership after the Apec Summit as agreed and move on as a team. Skip the shenanigans or get out of office if you can’t do the work.

As it is, the three-term governments in Selangor and Penang are seen to be a lot more partial to big business than the common folk, recalling the kind of government that was in place before 2008.

Take care of the people. Get the economy going. Otherwise get out and let those who want to fulfil the PH manifesto do the job.

There must be better productive ways to spend one’s Sunday than plot power changes. – February 23, 2020.

* Jahabar Sadiq runs The Malaysian Insight.