The expediency of Mahathir

The road map to Mahathir’s new party is yet to be disclosed, but the mission is no secret – to bring down the Najib Razak  administration. The same objective is shared by his so-called new alliance.
Given the narrow scope of the new party, we doubt it will go far.
We doubt the former PM is concerned about its long-term survival beyond its immediate use as an expedient tool with which to nail Najib.
Even before it has come into being, the new entity is destined to fail.
Prospects for the new opposition alliance don’t look any brighter. Mahathir was never a core figure in the opposition camp, which he has joined only because its suits his personal ambitions in the present situation. If that situation reverses, his remaining loyal to the camp will be in doubt.
Put simply, Mahathir et al have piggybacked the opposition in order to fulfil a private mission. Of course, the DAP (Democratic Action Party) and PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) are well aware of this, but given their relative weakness at this point, they have no choice but to come together to tackle a major foe.
The PKR has been declining steadily since its exceptional performance in the 2013 general elections, when it overtook BN for the first time in a popular vote. After Anwar Ibrahim’s jailing, a defeat in the Teluk Intan by-election and the collapse of the PKR, followed by the crushing defeat in Sarawak and the more recent twin by-elections, the opposition camp finds itself in the deepest of troughs.
The establishment of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) among the PKR, DAP and Amanah was meant to reverse those fortunes, but the poor showing in the twin by-elections dealt a further blow to the pact.
The depressed PH indeed needs an urgent booster, and Mahathir has spied an opening.
The two antagonists are willing to lay down their arms and work together not so much from the moral high ground but rather as a result of electoral calculation.
Politically speaking, such expedient collaboration is not unknown, but for an opposition camp that upholds lofty aspirations and cherishes the ideals of democracy, teaming up with the wrong partner can only erode its political reputation.
During his 22-year rule, Mahathir earned the ire of the opposition as a strongman who undermined the country’s institutional checks and balances. But now, as they share a common target, they choose to walk hand-in-hand.
Politically, there’s nothing wrong with parties coming together to tackle a powerful enemy. But if they merely focus on near-term interests and rush into a marriage of expedience at the expense of principles, will our national politics benefit?