SOME call it desperation but the reality was Pakatan Harapan (PH) had the audacity to name someone as divisive as Dr Mahathir Mohamad as their prime minister in the 2018 general election campaign. 

In other words, scrotal gumption to bet that he could be the precise weapon to defeat the Barisan Nasional (BN) government. 

They did in 2018. 

Last year, a few PH lawmakers had the pluck to bring down their own government and ally themselves with BN and PAS to form another government. 

In 2021, Umno found the courage to leave the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, causing it to collapse for Umno to lead a new nameless coalition. 

All that shenanigans have been reflected in some states, leading one, Malacca, to hold state elections on November 20.

Again, BN is brazen enough now to contest all 28 state seats, against PN and PH. And PH has the temerity to take two politicians from PN to contest the polls. 

We can discuss the good and bad of all these moves until the cows come home but this is the reality of Malaysian politics – that short-term gains for power outweigh anything else – and that includes principles. 

In that sense, perhaps Muda has principles to justify reasons not to run in the Malacca polls, apart from PH parties taking in foes rather than young allies for the contest. 

That too shows the other reality of politics in Malaysia – that the old, no matter the party, want to keep or gain power without bringing in young blood to the table. 

But if Muda is to ever have a place on that table, it should shrug off PH and run in all 28 state seats. 

It might not win any, it might split votes but it will give options to the electorate who might want a better choice to break the political games of old people in Malaysia. 

Sitting out is nice and polite in the context keeping friendly ties in federal politics but also shows a lack of confidence to go it alone or trust the electorate can make a better choice. 

See, Tunku Abdul Rahman gambled on a much younger team to help him negotiate Merdeka for Malaya. And he triumphantly announced it in Malacca in 1956.

One would think that scrotal gumption is alive and kicking in Malaysia and Malacca 65 years later. 

Not having a party of young Malaysians in the Malacca polls, notwithstanding the list from other parties, will just keep Malaysia in the grip of politicians past their shelf life. 

The shenanigans and performance during the pandemic shows Malaysia needs a better set of politicians. And a younger one at that. 

Malacca in the 1400s was an empire but today is the sandbox for Malaysia’s political future. Don’t waste that opportunity. – November 6, 2021.

* Jahabar Sadiq runs The Malaysian Insight.