Hot off the presses, Bernama has an article spotted at Screenshots on the press conference given by Dr. Mahathir on the much talked-about non-renewal of Mahaleel’s contract with Proton Berhad.

Jeff Ooi detects some bitterness from the press release, which could be substantiated by the following:-

“Apparently there was no willingness to consider (Tengku) Mahaleel’s views so he refused to sign and the board decided not to renew his contract,” Dr Mahathir told a press conference here today.

and here:

Dr Mahathir also said Tengku Mahaleel’s ability to run Proton was cramped after he was removed from the chairmanship of major Proton subsidiaries.

But it seems Mahathir won’t let sleeping dogs lie. I received an SMS alert from The Star stating that Mahathir considers the AP list just revealed to be incomplete.. and he’s now demanding for the release of the 2004 list of AP recipients.

I suppose no one knows what’s going through his head, but I do think he might be acting recklessly, and trading on the goodwill he’s built up over his years in office. To what extent is he willing to pursue the matter?

I can only imagine Mahaleel’s leaving as a blow to Mahathir’s efforts to, perhaps, retain some control over his last remaining pet project. That’s perhaps not to say that Mahathir privately agrees with Mahaleel’s policies, maybe, but since this is speculation it should be disregarded.

Both seem to have a particularly acute aversion to any major foreign involvement, a mentality that would do the UMNO Youth proud with its undertones of affirmative action.

This dismantling of the old guard, this transitory phase between the Mahathir era and a post-Mahathir era makes for interesting drama at the very least. Taking apart power structures and making way for new ones shouldn’t be surprising and I suppose, happens in any regime. It’s what gets cast into the light that, more often than not, disappoints and reaffirms my abhorence for the incumbent.

Bloody bastards, all of them.