COMMENT | What a pathetic end to Dr Mahathir Mohamed’s political influence, as his party Pejuang is wiped out in the Johor state elections. It wasn’t even a face-saving fight, as all its 42 candidates lost their deposits.

In fact, most of them were far below the threshold (12.5 percent of the vote) to keep their deposits. Even their best performer, Zam Zam Hashim, won only 4.8 percent of the votes in the Kukup seat.

For someone who once aspired to lead Malaysia as a successful Asian Tiger, someone respected globally for speaking out against powerful countries, it’s a sad finale indeed. For a 96-year-old man who probably does not have many years left in this world, it’s a mournful conclusion with little chance of any more “comebacks”.

Despite all the wrongs in his first 22 years as prime minister, he was given a second chance...