IS the former prime minister and current leader of Bersatu Muhyiddin Yassin telling that he not only masterminded the formation of the party but the prime cause of the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government?

Maybe he is right in saying that the formation of Bersatu was his initiative after he was sacked from Umno.

He was removed for questioning former prime minister Najib Razak for the latter’s involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.

It is clear it was Muhyiddin who worked clandestinely to undermine the PH government from the start.

The former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad knew about these sinister moves but kept silent to ensure they would be able to checkmate PKR and DAP.

The rapid rise of anti-Chinese sentiments in general and against DAP were not the work of some mysterious forces termed as the deep state then.

The deep state was nothing but the forces headed by Muhyiddin with Dr Mahathir’s knowledge to undermine the legitimate PH government.

The PH government was caught off guard to the extent they had placed trust in Dr Mahathir to take control of the situation.

Dr Mahathir was responsible for pinching the baby and rocking it to sleep at the same time.

In fact a masterplan was hatched and executed with near precision to ensure that the multi-racial government would not last too long.

Dr Mahathir was both an accomplice as well as an arch egoist who had his own plans quite independent of Bersatu.

He resigned after the collapse of the PH government but came up with a bizarre and preposterous idea of a unity government.

A government headed by him but with members personally chosen by him and not based on any political affiliation.

The idea had no traction whatsoever but revealed the diabolical nature of the man who would not have any hesitation in imposing a one man administration if he had the choice.

Later he was to suggest to the country’s ruler to appoint him as the head of a National Operations Council at the the time of the Covid-19 epidemic.

The arrest and detention of 12 Indians, some from DAP, was an attempt to intimidate the party.

The Malay dignity conference was another attempt to intimidate the non-Malays when Dr Mahathir was the prime minister.

While the dark and ominous clouds were gathering to bring about a coup against the PH government, the coalition itself was in a state of disarray.

PKR, DAP and Amanah relied more and more in Dr Mahathir to save the situation from collapsing under its own weight.

From the state of the PH government, the writing on the wall was clear that Dr Mahathir would never allow PKR president Anwar Ibrahim to succeed him, even though it was a transition plan.

But Dr Mahathir made mince meat of the PH’s transition plan that would have allowed Anwar to succeed him.

Dr Mahathir had no such intention. It was just PH being gullible. They thought with Dr Mahathir on their side, “our prime minister” or “my prime minister” will take care of the extreme forces.

However, Dr Mahathir proved to be not the solution but part of the problem.

Even after the collapse of the PH government, there were some unsuccessful attempts to prop up Dr Mahathir as the prime minister once again.

Anwar knew Dr Mahathir’s tricks, but bided his time thinking he had a small window of opportunity.

He was so caught up with assuming the position that he failed to challenge Dr Mahathir on the breach of the transition plan.

Muhyiddin, by his own admission, admitted that he was the prime architect in the collapse of the PH government.

He doesn’t have to admit. The whole world knows about it.

He trusted Dr Mahathir but not to the extent of the PH coalition.

Muhyiddin takes pride in Bersatu, in the fact he was the brains behind its formation.

He resigned as prime minister, but was forced to do so after losing his majority.

The Malacca elections might be his Waterloo.

With PAS beside him, he needs no enemies.

It is not the question of whether Perikatan Nasional will win the elections. It is more about the relevance of Bersatu in national politics.

Muhyiddin might take pride in the formation of Bersatu, but I am not sure he is willing to take the blame in the party’s possible collapse. – November 12, 2021.

* Prof P. Ramasamy is Penang’s deputy chief minister.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.