“Furthermore, Dr Mahathir should be reminded… that he single-handed destroyed the independence, impartiality and professionalism not only of the judiciary, but also of other important national institutions like the police, the Election Commission, the anti-corruption agency, and the civil service.”

- Lim Kit Siang, February 2015

LETTER | It is heartbreaking to watch whistleblowers being punished while perpetrators walk scot-free. Rafizi Ramli’s jail sentence for revealing dirty secrets is a crushing blow to transparency. However, what can we do?

Doing something ethically right but lawfully wrong is a punishable offence. Such occurrences happen in developed nations as well.

Remember the case of Cyntoia Brown in America? Cyntoia is still serving her life imprisonment sentence for killing a 43-year-old child predator out of self-defence, who “bought” her when she was 16 years old to fulfil his lust for sex.

Last year, this 2004 case picked up steam again on social media with A-list celebrities calling for her release. Although Brown’s lawyers filed for an appeal recently, she is still sitting behind bars.

Leaders and supporters from the opposition coalition would be calling Rafizi’s sentencing a political move, although some within Pakatan Harapan itself would most likely be glad.

We often hear Harapan leaders crying foul on the alleged non-independence of the judiciary. The important question is when did this impartiality of the judiciary start?

Such menace in the system started by none other than their own prime minister candidate Dr Mahathir Mohamad. But, they have forgiven him for everything.

Hence, they have forgiven him for meddling with the judiciary as well. So, why cry now when you have forgiven and forgotten of everything Mahathir did?

The gibberish excuse Harapan leaders give today is that they are using Mahathir to win the Malay support and Mahathir is only there to take Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (photo) down.

Is Mahathir really there only to take Najib down, and will he be willing to step down thereafter? Although it is proclaimed so by the opposition and apparently agreed upon by Mahathir behind closed doors, do any of Mahathir’s actions say the same?

Mahathir intends to recreate another Proton to possibly make more cronies rich, but says Pakatan will do so if they form the government despite Lim Kit Siang saying numerous times in the past that Malaysia should not be venturing into the automotive industry.

Will Lim suddenly change his stand now if Mahathir decides to make him a crony supplier to the so-called new Proton? Lim’s silence to Mahathir’s intentions is deafening.

Most recently, Mahathir says he needs a couple of years to supposedly correct the current government’s wrongdoings.

Wait a minute. Two years as prime minister and nobody from Harapan is saying anything? What happened to getting a royal pardon for Anwar Ibrahim and vacating the seat?

Are you going to argue and say that the entire process will take at least two years and therefore Mahathir will be prime minister till then? Will Mahathirism be allowed to continue with all the supposed agreements thrown out of the window, only for him to come and say sorry later once again?

Two years would be more than enough for Mahathir to ensure his son moves up the political ladder as he envisions.

It seems like a no-brainer that Mahathir will eventually rejoin Umno.

Mahathir quit Umno citing disgust to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. His war was not against Umno. He was against Badawi. Once Badawi quit, Mahathir and his wife happily rejoined Umno in 2009.

Upon rejoining Umno, Mahathir said, “Although I was out of Umno, my heart and soul were in Umno.” Be assured that Mahathir’s soul is still with Umno. His war is against Najib.

By the slimmest chance, if Mahathir does become prime minister and he is pushed for resignation, he will take his loyal sycophants and rejoin Umno with his teary wife, probably expressing affection for Umno again.

Then what will Harapan do? Call for another street demonstration? And flak condemnation towards Mahathir with another U-turn?

History tells us that street demonstrations with Mahathir at the helm will never be as peaceful as when Najib is at the top. Water cannons, physical abuse and arrests would be in abundance. Why should we Malaysians be used as political pawns when the Harapan keep messing up and shooting themselves in the foot?

In my view, the opposition already lost the election before it has even begun. They lost the day they foolishly decided to make Mahathir their leader and prime minister designate.

An analytical paper was published in the Journal of East Asian Studies in 2015, titled “The 2013 Malaysian Elections.” Data analyses clearly showed that non-Bumiputera votes in rural and semi-urban areas were the key to BN’s victory despite having less than 50 percent support from Bumiputera voters, even in rural constituencies.

With Mahathir becoming the next premier, non-Bumiputera votes may increase in favour of BN. As for the Bumiputera votes, PAS being out of the coalition and becoming the third force will definitely split any extra support for the opposition with Mahathir’s inclusion.

Besides ‘Bangladeshi’ voters and power blackout hypotheses that have never been proven, and have been said to have never occurred by some in the opposition themselves, the opposition should start thinking about new fabricated excuses to comfort themselves once the elections are done and dusted.

Working with Mahathir will prove to be abhorrent.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.