Mahiaddin at the end of his struggle, 90 days is all he has to change it

Dr Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Sabri

In this brutal world of politics, nothing is more heartbreaking than seeing a leader who once served as Malaysia’s Prime Minister now struggling with betrayal from within his own party.

Tan Sri Mahiaddin Yassin is not merely facing an ordinary leadership crisis — ironically, he is fighting a political survival battle that will determine whether he is remembered as a statesman or merely a footnote in Malaysia’s history.

As an analyst who has witnessed the downfall of major leaders from Pak Lah to Najib Razak, I say with full confidence: Mahiaddin is at the end of his political struggle. What he does in the next 90 days will decide whether he dies a hero or lives on as a betrayed villain.

Let’s face this bitter truth: Mahiaddin’s greatest enemies are not Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim or the DAP. His enemies are individuals who were once close to him and are now playing dirty political games using Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin as a proxy.

What I observe now is a carefully planned conspiracy by a handful of leaders who were formerly part of Mahiaddin’s inner circle. They don’t want Mahiaddin to continue leading, but they don’t dare oppose him openly. So they are using Hamzah as a Trojan horse.

Here are the names (types) Mahiaddin must watch out for:

The Whisperers — Those who are always in Hamzah’s ear, injecting the idea that “the time has come” for him to take over.

The Financiers — Those who control the party’s war chest and have begun diverting resources to build Hamzah’s machinery.

The Media Manipulators — Those who leak stories to the media to create the perception that Mahiaddin is “expired.”

Clean-Up Operation: The Brutally Necessary Purge

Yes, Mahiaddin must carry out a clean-up operation. But this is not just an ordinary reshuffle. This is political surgery that requires precision and ruthlessness unseen in Malaysian politics.

PHASE 1: THE INTELLIGENCE GATHERING (Next 14 Days)

Mahiaddin needs to activate an intelligence network within the party. He must know:

Who is leaking information to the media
Who is financing underground campaigns for Hamzah
Who is spreading rumors about his health and capabilities
Who has committed to supporting Hamzah in a potential leadership challenge

A radical approach I recommend:

Install a digital monitoring system to track all communication channels within the party. Yes, this is controversial, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Mahiaddin needs to know who is loyal and who is backstabbing him.

PHASE 2: THE SURGICAL STRIKES (Days 15–30)

After gathering intelligence, Mahiaddin must carry out surgical removal of toxic elements. But this must be done with strategic precision:

Target Priority 1: The Chief Conspirators

Immediate removal from all party positions
Public announcement with clear reasons
No mercy, no second chances

Target Priority 2: The Fence Sitters

Give an ultimatum: commit fully or leave
48 hours to make a decision
Those who do not commit will be considered enemies

Target Priority 3: The Information Brokers

Identify and isolate those selling information to the media
Create a disinformation campaign to flush them out
Once identified, terminate with extreme prejudice

PHASE 3: THE RECONSTRUCTION (Days 31–60)

After cleansing the party, Mahiaddin must rebuild with fresh blood who are loyal and competent:

Promote the Young Turks:
Bring in young leaders who are hungry and loyal
Give them important positions to create a new power structure
Ensure they have direct access to Muhyiddin

Restructure the Command Chain:

Create a parallel structure that bypasses the traditional hierarchy
Install loyalists in all key positions
Ensure information flows only through trusted channels

The Hamzah Gambit: Neutralize or Weaponize?

This is the most critical decision Mahiaddin must make. Hamzah is not the real enemy — he is a victim of manipulation by others. Mahiaddin has two options:

Option 1: The Neutralization Strategy

Relocate Hamzah to a prestigious but powerless post
Perhaps as a Special Envoy or Chairman of a strategic committee
Remove him from day-to-day operations while maintaining his dignity (the position of opposition leader should be filled by TSMY himself)

Option 2: The Weaponization Strategy (My Recommended Approach)

Bring Hamzah closer, don’t push him away
Make him a co-conspirator instead of a victim
Share with him who is manipulating him
Turn Hamzah into an ally to fight common enemies

I recommend Option 2 because:

Hamzah has genuine grassroots support
It’s better to have him as an ally than an enemy
It demonstrates Mahiaddin’s confidence and lack of fear of competition
It creates a united front against the real enemies

Media War: Control the Narrative or Die

Mahiaddin has been losing the media war so far. He has relied too much on traditional approaches while his enemies use sophisticated digital warfare. It’s time to change strategy completely.

The Nuclear Option: Constitutional Crisis Strategy

If all other strategies fail, Mahiaddin has a nuclear option that can destroy all enemies at once but could also destroy him:

Trigger a constitutional crisis within Bersatu:
Call for an emergency party election with 30 days’ notice
Change the party constitution to strengthen the President’s powers
Disqualify certain candidates based on new criteria
Force a loyalty test on all members

This is a high-risk, high-reward strategy. If successful, Mahiaddin will emerge stronger than ever. If it fails, his political career will be over for good.

The Coalition Chess Game: Use Pas As A Weapon

Mahiaddin must weaponize his relationship with Pas to strengthen his position within Bersatu:

Strategic Moves:

Threaten Coalition Collapse

Hint that if he does not have strong support in Bersatu, he might withdraw from Perikatan Nasional
This will alarm Pas because they need Bersatu to remain relevant

Create an Alternative Power Base

Build direct relationships with Pas grassroots
Position himself as a bridge between Malay parties
Make himself indispensable for Malay unity

Use Pas Pressure

Get Pas leaders to publicly support him
Create external pressure on Bersatu rebels
Show that removing him would jeopardize the entire coalition

Succession Planning: Controlled Transition

Even if Mahiaddin manages to survive the current crisis, he must have a succession plan that won’t create future instability:

The Mentorship Strategy:
Groom a successor who is loyal but acceptable to all factions
Maybe not Hamzah, maybe someone completely fresh
Create a clear and acceptable transition timeline

Potential Candidates to Consider:

Radzi Jidin — Young, clean, professional background
Ronald Kiandee — Sabah representation, stable, non-threatening

International Dimension

Mahiaddin has an advantage the rebels lack — international connections as a former PM:

Leverage International Support:

Get endorsements from regional leaders
Position the current crisis as a threat to Malaysia’s stability
Use diplomatic channels to create external pressure

Grassroots Mobilization

The ultimate weapon in democratic politics is people power. Mahiaddin must mobilize the grassroots:

Mass Mobilization Strategy:

Organize mega rallies across the country
Show visual proof of popular support
Create an emotional connection with base supporters
Use religious and racial sentiments (controversial but effective)

THE TIMING: STRIKE WHEN THE IRON IS HOT

All these strategies must be executed with precise timing:

Week 1–2: Intelligence and Planning
Week 3–4: Surgical Strikes and Clean-up
Week 5–6: Reconstruction and Consolidation
Week 7–8: Counter-offensive and Media War
Week 9–12: Final Push and Victory Declaration

Point of no return

Mahiaddin must understand — this is the point of no return. If he does not take decisive action now, he will slowly bleed to death politically. His enemies will continue to chip away at his support until there is nothing left.

The brutal truth: politics is war. And in war, only the ruthless survive. Mahiaddin has been too nice, too trusting, too gentlemanly. It’s time to unleash the inner Machiavelli.

THE LEGACY QUESTION: HOW DOES HE WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?

Ultimately, Mahiaddin must decide — does he want to be remembered as:

The gentleman who lost everything because he was too kind?
The fighter who went down swinging against all odds?
The strategist who outmaneuvered all enemies and survived?
The statesman who sacrificed personal ambition for party unity?

My recommendation? Choose option 3. Be The Strategist. Use every weapon available. Fight dirty if necessary. Win at all costs.

Conclusion: The Final Gambit

Mahiaddin is facing a defining moment of his political career. He can choose to fade away gracefully or fight like a wounded tiger.

Based on my analysis, Mahiaddin still has a 60% chance of survival if he executes the strategies I recommend with precision and ruthlessness. But if he continues with the status quo approach, his chance of survival is less than 20%.

The clock is ticking. The knives are out. The enemies are circling.

It’s time for Mahiaddin to unleash his inner beast and show Malaysia why he was once called “The Quiet Assassin” in UMNO.

This is war. And in war, only the survivors get to write history.

Survival is not about being the strongest. It’s about being the most adaptable, the most ruthless, and the most strategic. Mahiaddin has all these qualities. The question is: does he have the will to use them?

Kill or Be Killed

In this brutal Malaysian political arena, one rule never changes: kill or be killed. Mahiaddin has been on the defensive for too long. It’s time to go on the offensive and show everyone why he once became Prime Minister.

The war for Bersatu’s soul starts now. And Mahiaddin had better win it, or he will lose everything.

Dr Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Sabri is a former director of JASA and a political analyst.

** NOTE: Mahiaddin made new appointments for Bersatu’s appeals board last night.