It was the pressure from his cabinet colleagues and own party MPs that forced Boris Johnson to resign.
And coming up next, somebody else from the Conservative Party will soon take over as the next British PM.
The catalyst to Johnson’s ouster was the departure of his finance minister Rishi Sunak. (Rishi, btw, is an ethnic minority in the UK.)
Rishi‘s successor Nadhim Zahawi similarly turned the screw, advising Johnson to step down pronto. (Nadhim too is an ethnic minority.)
Unlike the UK finance ministers, Mahathir’s own equivalent occupant of ‘No.11 Downing Street’ was his nodding ‘Yes man’ — in the words of a currently marginalised DAP public figure.
Or in the words of Malaysiakini columnist Thayaparan, Lim Guan Eng was “a castrated finance minister who had to run everything through Mahathir“.
‘Yes man’-Guan Eng’s marked subservience begs a counterfactual question: What if he, Anthony Loke and the many other DAP Yang Berhormats in the Mahathir administration had had more cojones?
BELOW: Anthony, now the DAP sec-gen, holding Mahathir’s mike when PM 2.0 attacked Dong Zong
DAP’s bait-and-switch betrayal of Chinese
What if DAP and their Harapan colleagues – say DPM Wan Azizah – collectively decided to quit when Mahathir refused to make way for Anwar as was agreed?
After all, DAP and PKR outnumbered Bersatu in the Dewan and should have dictated terms instead of bowing to the old man.
The Brit politicians dictated to Johnson as we saw a couple of days ago. And they got their desired result in 72 hours — the PM’s resignation.
Health Minister Sajid Javid handed in his goodbye letter back-to-back with Rishi. (Sajid is also an ethnic minority in the UK.)
Sajid’s Parliamentary Private Secretary Saqib Bhatti resigned in tandem. (Saqib is an ethnic minority as well.)
Other ministers followed suit. Equalities Minister Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch resigned from the Johnson cabinet joining Rishi, Sajid and the rest in what the embattled PM has described as following the “herd instinct”. (Olukemi is another ethnic minority person.)
Tory MP Abimbola Afolami resigned as vice chair of the party in protest of Johnson continuing as PM. (Abimbola is an ethnic minority too.)
Home Minister Priti Patel – see BBC above – likewise told Johnson that he should resign. (Priti is an ethnic minority.)
Not belonging to the ethnic majority does not mean that the DAP jellyfish elected by Chinese voters have to remain always spooked and spineless.
The unfolding drama in Whitehall (area where British government offices are chiefly located) displays the potential within a ruling party to act decisively against its PM. And act the Tory MPs did.
As Johnson himself concedes, “when the herd moves, it moves.” British ethnic minority politicians in government started the stampede as the two finance ministers of the immediate past (Rishi Sunak) and present (Nadhim Zahawi) have shown us.
Not so the self-regarding ministers from DAP. As pointed out by political analyst Khoo Kay Peng, “I remembered how DAP leaders especially young cabinet ministers and deputies were praising Dr M non stop post GE14” — see @kpkhoo below.
DAP bak kera dapat bunga
Mahathir became PM 2.0 on the strength of the ethnic minority vote. He did not ride into Putrajaya on the back of the Malay majority.
And the Sheraton Move showed how the 95 percent Chinese support for DAP was ultimately worth peanuts.
To add seasoning to a dish served cold, DAP’s leadership had been so pliant as to be thoroughly coopted by Mahathir all throughout their 22 months together.
Like the proverbial Three Monkeys, DAP reps feeding on the crumbs off Mahathir’s table had learned at lightning speed to see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.
After first contact with Putrajaya perks and privileges, the DAP Yang Berhormats became blind to the wedge issues they used to raise most ferociously in their election campaigns.
They became deaf to the complaints from their voter base — issues which they once ruthlessly exploited as political capital.
They became muted on Harapan manifesto promises such as delivering recognition of the UEC (independent Chinese high school exam cert).
While deaf and dumb to their grassroots, the DAP reps nonetheless made good use of their tongue to lick Mahathir’s feet and their mouth to suck the old man’s toes.
Thou shalt not lie
DAP falsely told Chinese that Mahathir was a changed man. Ubah my foot!
Although DAP let themselves be outplayed by Mahathir’s Sheraton Move, they’ve never to this day acknowledged their personal culpability.
The fact that Mahathir is a serial slayer of PMs and a racist – Recall his ‘Shoot on Sight’ threat against the ethnic Chinese boat people fleeing Vietnam in the late 1970s – were traits well-known to the general public, and particularly to the DAP.
Dapsters have been saying all sorts of things against Mahathir for decades but they still elevated him to the premiership anyway for a second time. Talk about the turkey that voted for Christmas!
It says a lot about DAP and its zombie supporters when Harapan attempted to replicate the same old, same old political system. Again, with the same old, same old nonagenarian taking the helm despite everybody being cognisant of Mahathir’s reputation and scorpion sting.
ABOVE: Hannah Yeoh who screamed ‘Ubah sekarang! Bersihkan Malaysia’ became Mahathir’s DAP #1 fan girl
In a shameless about-face, Mahathir’s most vocal critics from DAP of the distant and not-too-distant past were the ones most willing to whitewash (“Bersih”) him in the eyes of the Chinese community.
Never mind that DAP, for long decades, spat curses at Mahathir whom they unanimously considered dirty.
Not only did DAP do a 180-degree turn promoting their Harapan chairman, and not only did its YBs pathetically fawn on him but their entire political edifice colluded to lie for Mahathir.
In the UK, the revolting Tory MPs consider it inappropriate to lie for Johnson.
They also believe that since Johnson was elected on a conservative platform, he should therefore govern as a conservative and not bait and switch by behaving like a liberal. Hence the cabinet coup.
DAP was elected on the basis of its championing minority rights but once in Putrajaya, they betrayed their constituents by behaving more as Mahathir’s minions.
BELOW: In September 2017, a soon-to-be cabinet minister on Mahathir’s left; a soon-to-be deputy minister on his right
At the beginning of the supposed handover year (2020) when Anwar was expecting the baton change, DAP and PKR shamelessly told the media that everything was still hunky dory in the ruling coalition. ‘Nothing to see here … move along, move along now”.
Any rumours to the contrary were dismissed as fake news and conspiracy theory by Harapan.
When DAP was eventually outflanked by its slippery Harapan boss in the sudden Sheraton manoeuvre, Guan Eng turned from self-proclaimed CAT (acronym for Penang’s Competency-Accountability-Transparency motto) into a quiet church mouse.
In fact, a mere matter of weeks circling in Mahathir’s orbit had already reduced Lim Jr to acting more like a “eunuch” (Thayaparan’s word) rather than an ISA alumnus.
In the UK, their Finance Ministers Rishi and Nadhim are men of action. Guan Eng’s elevation to the Finance Ministry, on the other hand, cast him as a simpering stage prop at Mahathir’s left shoulder.
Mahathir spectacularly brought out the hypocrisy of those surrounding him in Putrajaya who were previously the noisy federal opposition.
Within DAP there are some dissenters to Mahathir but these principled individuals were shouted down by the Mahathir new fan club.
True to style, Hannah Yeoh accused the anti-Mahathir Ronnie Liu of being “toxic”. Apparently Mahathir was no longer toxic once he hooked up with DAP.
Tony Pua accused Ronnie of being an unwanted “chauvinist”. Evidently Mahathir no longer was chauvinistic nor “ketuanan” once he entered the DAP big tent. (Btw, Tony was chief aide to the finance minister during Harapan’s time in power.)
DAP acquiescence to Mahathir’s frogs
The PM showed a kind of ‘leadership by example’ – if you want to call it that – through accepting into Bersatu a colony of MPs and Aduns defecting from Umno and other establishment parties.
Mahathir’s enthusiastic embrace of frogs was tolerated by the DAP in total acceptence. The proverbial Three Monkeys always preaching integrity and ethics were in practice blind, deaf and dumb to the pondful of croaking frogs in their backyard.
BELOW: Kneeling beside the pond to kiss Mahathir’s frogs (pix for illustration purposes)
With their capitulation, the silent DAP leaders were complicit in Mahathir’s Machiavellian machinations. As Mahathir’s cabinet and high-level members of his administration, they must bear collective responsibility.
DAP leaders have no problem blackening their critics with a variety of woke tropes, for example Hannah who declared she will go on doing her multikulti thing even “in the face of a handful of extreme voices in this land”. She was alluding (in her veiled criticism) to party colleague Dr Boo Cheng Hau — who incidentally has more honesty contained in his little finger than the thimbleful from Mahathir‘s DAP cabinet ministers combined.
Malaysiakini columnist Thayaparan in his recent article on July 4 wrote that the DAP “has no problem calling everyone else a running dog but displayed the same traits or worse when it was in power”.
To return to the title question: Could DAP, when it was in power, have compelled Mahathir to step aside for Anwar?
The answer is ‘Yes’ they could, going by the successful removal of PM Boris Johnson we’ve just witnessed.
The realpolitik, however, is ‘No’ they would not have done so because DAP willingly walked in lockstep with Mahathir all the way.
So quickly had his DAP Chosen Ones rolled over to become obedient lapdogs.
Helen Ang 
Your question only Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad can answer ! In fact it begs more questions than answers ! Or did the front-line female soldiers of the DAP do the Dance of the Seven Veils to get the 3 most important Singaporean projects approved by the PH Cabinet ( May 2018 – March 2020 ) chaired by the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad being i) the Pulau Batu Putih Review ii) the CPTPP, and iii) the opaque TNB ‘LTMS-PP Agreement which was signed recently ? Only History will tell us the Truth being the Arbiter of the Truth. Do not tell us that at the end of the short-Life of the PH Government May 2018-March 2020, ONLY these 3 aforesaid matters which impinged on our beloved Malaysia’s Sovereignty and National Interest, were the only things which mattered to the PH Leadership whoever were in control. Really who was doing the pushing for fast resolution and approval of these Singapore biased important projects or more in only 22 months. These projects were right in the middle of the Public arena or gaze and yet no announcement was ever made because of the opacity as thick as the lime-stone of Batu Caves ! Who else was involved ? The Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamd ? The Deputy Prime Minister ( the DAP’s best friend’s isteri ) ? The DAP Ministers ? From a layman’s perspective, it seemed that once the 3 or more Singapore biased projects were approved, the 2018 PH Manifesto was only FIT FOR THE DUSTBIN ! And who CARED A DIME FOR THOSE MISLED 99% CHINESE AND OTHER VOTERS ! And for those with a long memory, the Reformasi, Reformasi, of the PH Manifesto arose from the chanting yellow shirted masses strolling along the hot and humid streets of ye old KL. According to recent, media reports, the now ennobled Leaders which appeared from nowhere in the First Protest Act, now want a repeat Encore of Reformasi, Reformasi ! Who wants to listen to them anymore WHEN AT THE END OF THE DAY ONLY THE TINY IMPOVERISHED BUT RICH SINGAPORE IS THE SOLE BENEFICIARY OF THE PH GOVERNMENT’S LARGESSE,, NOT THE 32 MILLIONS RAKYAT ! The 99% Chinese got only empty promises and eventually an emasculated DAP ended up in a Gordian Knot, a position worse than before. Did these folks sacrifice themselves for another 56 years for tiny impoverished but rich Singapore ? And where was the DAP’s best friend in all these opaque Singaporean biased capers/Cabinet approvals which do not benefit our beloved Malaysia one single sen ! But Man proposes. God disposes. The valuable NATIONAL assets given FREE to Singapore by the assorted Malaysian Leaderships since 1962 could not replace the overwhelming DOUBLE WHAMMY of both the Covid-19 and the Ukraine War and more to come which stripped Singapore NAKED since March 2020 ! Vide. The Prime Minister of Singapore’s speech in Rwanda June 2022. ‘ IT’S A NEW WORLD. PREPARE FOR MORE CRISES TO COME !’
I wonder how this bunch of disparate folks got together in 2015 who actually slept in the same bed with different dreams from the very beginning. This is not going to work anymore against the rising Nationalism of a surging UMNO seeking a NEW LEADER to unify the Malays once again within the precepts of our revered Constitution as safe-guarded by our caring and compassionate Yang Di Pertuan Agong and the Royal Sultans. Only the future can fore-tell. .The DAP had the chance to be the Premier Multi-Racial Party of Malaysia because of its lack of skeletons in the cupboard. That opportunity has come and gone forever like the four-legged horse because of its unique Loyalty and the dire lack of Vision in the National Interest. This event has left UMNO the Paramount Party of Malaysia to resume its historic and rightful role under the Malaysian Sun !
In order for UMNO to be great again, this Paramount Political Party since 1946, has to be flexible, eschew fake materialism and replace by real Malay elitism which are now full of fakes and clowns giving their 2 sens worth of advice every day. Just a NORMAL 8 am to 5 pm working Team will do. No need for flying into the Sun like Icarus or wear fancy suits from Saville Row, London. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THE WHOLE CABINET OF 40+ WEARING TOP CLASS MALAYSIAN MADE BATEK SHIRTS. AGAIN. Charity begins at home.
Our beloved Malaysia which was once regarded as boring and unexciting, over a few years after 2003, became a country full of political fables and foibles with the impoverished but rich Singaporeans first in the queue. They were looking for low hanging fruits like the Pulau Batu Putih which could be easily detected from the 4th Floor vantage of the 4th Floor Boys. As always the 4th Floor Boys were unhinged when their only think-tank dropped dead by a rock falling on his head. The 4th Floor Boys propose. God disposes ! By then, all the low hanging fruits belonging to the Khazanah were gone for free and for good to the Singaporeans and their local mates. Who says our beloved Malaysia is a failed State ? This fellow must be a Martian from Mars because a failed State is of no use to the impoverished but rich Singapore. Even more so now that Singapore has been stripped absolutely NAKED by the double Whammy of the Covid-19 and the Ukraine War with more crises to come with NO RECOVERY IN SIGHT.- The First Naked First World Nation. Vide. Singapore PM’s Speech in Rwanda, June 2022. Malaysia will be dynamic and kicking with just one NORMAL and QUALIFIED MALAY LEADER AS THE PRIME MINISTER and on our Way to be one of the 4 important small countries of the World being the United Kingdom, Japan, Switzerland, Malaysia. Strangely, Singapore never claimed to be one such important country. But she did claim to have a strategic maritime choke point of 1 KM WITHOUT MENTIONING MALAYSIA’S CHOKE POINT STRETCHES 1,000+ KM FROM THE ANDAMAN SEA TO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. OMG ! With the signing of the absolutely opaque TNB ” LTMS-PP ” Agreement, the importance of the strategic geopolitical location of our beloved Malaysia STANDS PROUD AND STRONG. Failed State ? What Failed State ? ALL MALAYSIA REQUIRES IS JUST ONE SUPER BUT NORMAL MALAY TO LEAD THE WAY ! No more. No less ! Where else but Malaysia. Courtesy Shangti-La Hotels and the revered Constitution as safeguarded by our caring and compassionate Yang Di Pertuan Agong and the Royal Sultans.
For the lack of BS as created and emanated from the humongous Ministry of Information, Singapore during,these hard times, the focus is now on the cuisines of the World. All sorts of TV programs on food are broadcast every day by the CNA. The audience is reminded every day of Singapore’s very own edible and clever creations being chili crabs and Hainanese chicken rice. What happened to the once proud SIA ? Now, all we hear is the Emirates, Qatar, Etihad or Turkiye Airways. Not many years ago, SIA was the proud flag carrier of the First Naked First World Nation, Singapore. SIA began life with a complete gift of software from the break-up of the MSA or Malaysia-Singapore Airlines in 1972 due to the generosity of 3 Malaysian wise men.who nearly got the sack by the DPM Tun Dr Ismail. In time, one of the 3 wise men was awarded a LLD by the National University of Singapore. The Chinese never, never, never forget ! And so it is, the fables and foibles of a Malaysia since 2004 which emerged from being boring and staid from birth to catch up with lost time,. We now have excitement every day in spades from chicken and eggs to many one Big Chief in one small tent and 18 year olds yearning to be the Prime Minister of our beloved Malaysia ! Which country in the World is more dynamic and energetic than this ? Even the politicians in Whitehall, London lined up in an orderly disorderly fashion for the top job, the Prime Minister’s. And there are 9 of them and counting !
The revered Constitution forbids the rule by the minority but by the majority. This significant document was not crafted by the British as an afterthought but from their real and bitter experiences which arose out of the Independence of the Republic of India in 1947 and their cowardly exit from Palestine in 1949 leaving the Palestinians haplesswith no just and fair space for then and the future. The political overlay was the mass protests of the Royal Sultans and their subjects against the Malayan Union 1945 as formulated by the Labour Government of Prime Minister Clement Attlee without their consent. Therefore, all these superficial but catchy slogans, ‘ Malaysia for Malaysians’ and ‘Reformasi’ did not strike a bell in the minds of the majority for which the Constitution safeguarded them through our caring and compassionate Yang Di Pertuan Agong and the Royal Sultans.. Within this context, the representatives of the minority were in consensus with all aspects of the Constitution. Otherwise, they would not have signed their consent, The Parliamentary process was quite practical and normal until the abuse of Power in the use of Public money reared its ugly head. From here, the point which began imperceptibly, in some far distant past, the digits manning the system assumed a style of their own which can only be described as ABNORMAL.The British expected Malaya to collapse much earlier. Somehow, our beloved Malaysia is still standing and kicking and with a view to be one of the 4 most important small countries of the World being the United Kingdom, Japan, Switzerland, Malaysia.. But the recent statistics from Bank Negara Malaysia is a strident wake-up call to those in control of our livelihood and the future.. Until recently, the Foreign Reserves held by BNM could cover 9 months of imports. This has now fallen to 5 months in just a few months..It is the depreciation of the Ringgit coupled with Inflation which has done the damage. The sentiment and the confidence of all investors are of utmost importance and not to be sneezed at. Forewarned is forearmed. The hundreds of GLCs and GLICs in the economic system which impinged on Private Sector funding but much loved by the banks because of the Government Guarantee, are stymieing Government efforts in the recovery of the economy. And this is only one factor amongst many others which have to be dealt with urgently because the World will NOT help us. Occasional trumpeting will not help either. Our beloved Malaysia’s governance has veered much from the NORM as we knew it for decades since Merdeka in 1957. . If any Government after 2003 was aware of this, we see no evidence of it.! The DAP was so focused on the delivery of the goodies (i) The Review of Pulau Batu Putih (ii) CPTPP (iii) The opaque TNB ‘ LTMS-PP Agreement ‘ to Singapore and two legal cases or more concerning prominent people during the PH Government May 2018-March 2020 that they lost the gumption to nudge their best friend into Power in their own interest by nudging Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, provided the latter could be nudged ! Where else but Malaysia ? Courtesy Shangri-La Hotels.
Sori. A small typo error. It should read……..’ and their cowardly exit from Palestine in 1946.’
HA. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has kindly answered the question posed by you, ” Could DAP have nudged Mahathir to step aside for Anwar in 2020 ? ” Today in The Star,” Don’t go into Politics if you have a soft heart, Dr Mahathir advises.”. On the assumption that he will not say tomorrow that he was misquoted. Acheh ! As for the female front-line troops a’la Singapore swallows in Jakarta, Chicago, CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg etc, they came, they see and did not conquer Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad ? Veni. Vidi. Vici.?
Thanks for the heads-up, Uncle. I suspect Tun M was likely responding to Yeo Bee Yin’s memoir.
Killing 2 birds with one stone as they say ?