Can Dr Mahathir, political foes unite against Najib?

In a bid to remove the prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has approached his political foes to work together. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, March 2, 2016.The unthinkable has happened, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has sat down with his political foes in a bid to kick out Datuk Seri Najib Razak from the country's top job.

Frustrated by an Umno that he now calls Najib's Party, the one-time strongman needs the federal opposition on his side against the prime minister, whom he believes is unfit due to financial shenanigans.

But the reverse is also true.

The fractured Pakatan Rakyat or Harapan gang needs their one-time nemesis to unite them as they have fallen apart after two successful election campaigns that have eroded the ruling Barisan Nasional's (BN) parliamentary majority and popular vote.

It is understood that one PKR leader in a moment of candour said the opposition are not in a position to take advantage of Najib's scandals, other financial issues and souring economy to win the next general elections.

Disunited and without a leader, they need someone to bring them back on track.

Enter the flawed Malaysian leader called Dr Mahathir to occupy the vacuum left by the death of Tok Guru Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and the jailing of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Let's face it, the likes of Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Mohamed Sabu, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail or Lim Guan Eng cannot bring the pact back to what it was in the 2008 and 2013 election campaigns.

So, some of the opposition leaders are hoping that Dr Mahathir will be able to bring some measure of unity and create a national wave across the country – defeating Najib and his BN colleagues as they have done in 2008 and 2013.

That is a tall order but they had done in the past as it was almost all straight fights. But the next elections could be different if they remain fractious and continue sniping at each other.

Hence the need for Dr Mahathir as much as the country's longest-serving prime minister needs them to oust another of his successors.

However, the big hump to overcome is whether the architect of the destruction of Malaysia's once proud and independent institutions should acknowledge his past sins.

Because it will be a bumpy ride If he still believes in the principles of the Frank Sinatra hit song "My Way" and not bother about his record in office.

So, will the federal opposition finally go Dr Mahathir's way or stay away in his fight against Najib?

The next few weeks will provide clues to how these disparate and desperate parties get together or break up to take on the country's sixth prime minister. – March 2, 2016.