SHAH ALAM - As the Malaysia–US Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) dominates headlines, political tensions have reignited with even calls for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to make a comeback as Prime Minister.
Timing, as always, played a decisive role in politics and for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Madani government, the timing of the ART controversy could not be worse, coming just weeks before the Sabah state election.
The agreement has drawn heavy criticism from the public and political observers who accused the government of rushing the signing process and failing to be transparent about its potential consequences.
Critics warned that Malaysia may have compromised its economic sovereignty, particularly in areas of market access, technology control and investor priorities.
Adding to the unease, the United States was still weighing tariff rates on Malaysian semiconductor exports, despite the trade deal being finalised.
Ironically, Myanmar was said to have negotiated stricter terms with Washington to safeguard its economy.
The controversy has now fed into a broader debate on leadership and national direction.
Former minister Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim, during his podcast, suggested that Dr Mahathir should once again lead the country to “remove Anwar”, an idea that was not dismissed by Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.
Such talk highlighted a troubling leadership vacuum, one that still circled back to a 100-year-old statesman. "Only Tun can bring Anwar down,” some argued, “no one else.”
But since leaving office, Dr Mahathir has opposed every Prime Minister who came after him, from the late Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and now Anwar.
Recycling the same figures, political observers warned, only reflected a deeper issue, a lack of fresh leadership and ideas. Power, they argued, has become an instrument of vengeance instead of reform.
Whether or not Anwar’s government survived this latest storm, one thing was clear: the ART controversy has added new fuel to Sabah’s political battleground.
With ongoing grievances over state rights, natural resources and the 40 per cent revenue claimed under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, the upcoming election will be a test of public confidence in the Madani administration.
As columnist Elviza aptly writes, “This country needs mission and vision — not the nostalgia of old politics.”