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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright February 2023
Exit strategies for politicians differ because they do not usually disappear they just fade away riding off into the sunset like cowboys often do at the end of a Western.
Here we are using the expression as a clichè. It implies that riding into the sunset means when one "concludes a successful career by retiring in a neat, happy, and satisfactory fashion, possibly on a positive note after a long and successful" role as a politician.
This week, three seasoned politicians exited the nation's political landscape in their own ways.
No, they did not quite ride off into the sunset.
One flew off to Washington leaving a trail of allegations behind, another walked into a studio and the third just left in a huff continuing his saga of resignations.
On the day Nazri Aziz was appointed nation's ambassador to the US, Hot FM announced Khairy will be its DJ while Tun Mahathir just quits Pejuang two days later continuing his long saga of resignations from political parties.
What a coincidence, you might say for the first two politicians because they exit the same party in the same week in different fashions. Nazri seems to be rewarded while KJ as we all know was booted out!
Nazri has been eyeing an ambassadorial post since he announced he was planning not to continue with his career as a politician during Ismail's tenure as PM.
He would have been made an ambassador to Switzerland but for some reason it did not materialise. It would have been an ideal position because some say he has a young family in France. Switzerland would be close enough for commuting on weekends.
Anyway, on February 9, he was presented with the letter of credence by the Yang di Pertuan Agong as Malaysia's ambassador to the United States along with nine other new heads of diplomatic missions.
Why Nazri, asked netizens whom many felt is a controversial character not worthy of such high office.
Anwar had to defend himself saying that he was not responsible for the appointment but Ismail Sabri ought to be blamed for it. It happened during the latter's last few months in office as PM9.
Maybe Nazri played his card well by stroking egos in UMNO before he left office trading off his long held constituency of Padang Rengas for a cushy job as an ambassador. It worked out well although many netizens and ordinary Malaysians do not seem to approve.
On the other hand KJ chose to strike instead of stroking some egos in the same party ending up being unceremoniously dismissed.
But unlike Nazri, KJ is a more popular figure with GenY with whom he seems to connect well over the air, digitally or in person.
He looks and sounds good over the media. Hot FM is just the right fit for a "political cowboy" that refuses to fade away hoping for an "afternoon shootout" with his ardent enemies some day!
We are sure that Hot FM will be hot news over the media come February 15 when KJ comes on air. Its rating will definitely soar. The young urban diehards would have their ears glued to their radios.
He'll be around haunting and hurting those who have been unkind to him lately.
Tune in for more controversies over the air every morning 'Bekpes Hot' hour day after Valentine's. KJ is in your ears and he's not going to disappear any time soon. That reminds of Pennylane by the Beatles who will be "in my ears and in my eyes, ...beneath the blue suburban skies" soon on the KL airwaves.
Lastly, there's Tun Mahathir who recently announced his departure from Pejuang which he founded just the way he did with Bersatu and UMNO that he helmed for 22 years. And of course, PH that he led for 22 months. Tun has become a serialist of sorts in his waning years. Now he is looking to rope in Annuar Musa who just formed Mufakat Nasional to unite all Malays.
At 97, the nonagenarian is going back to his younger days of fighting for the Malays that he claimed to be in a state of dilemma in a book he published in 1970 and now in his final days is searching for relevancy as he approaches one hundred.
He is not about to sit in that saddle and ride off into the sunset. Not yet.
These three Malay politicians are not ready to subscribe to "an allusion to the clichéd endings of western movies, often showing the main characters on horsebacks riding off into the sunset at the conclusion of the film."
Are we being a little too sarcastic, ironical, or humorous about Malay politicians? May be!
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