The day when Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad — also finance minister, Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairperson — returns from his10-day break is important as an indicator of support for him and his right hand man, Abudullah Ahmad Badawi.

The turnout will tell if he and his supporters genuinely trust Abdullah to be an independent-minded successor.

If there is a huge number of people who turn up at the airport to 'welcome' Mahathir back to Malaysia, then it would show that there is a lack of confidence and trust in his anointed successor and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah, or Pak Lah as he is affectionately known.

Worse, if the supporters also chanted slogans to support Mahathir, it would make Pak Lah look like a weak successor and is being grudgingly accepted. Such a showy welcome does not augur well for Pak Lah who needs the confidence to be his own person.

Pak Lah needs a reticent Mahathir (and his staunch followers) from now till October next year to build up his own image, authority, legitimacy and public standing. Otherwise, after 16 months, he would become another Habibie (former Indonesian president just after strongman Suharto).

After 21 years of Mahathir's rule, we don't want a PM who is a mere clone of him. We want a new prime minister and a fresh start.