COMMENT Kudos to Lim Guan Eng, DAP and whichever voices behind the scenes made it happen.

Credit where credit is due - kudos to Lim Guan Eng and DAP for being the bigger party, and for putting national interest above self-interest - a great day for opposition politics!

With this controversy out of the way, the opposition has a real opportunity to put the focus back on PM Najib Abdul Razak and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the 1MDB scandal.

Muhyiddin Yassin’s recent joint press conference with Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail - while raising a number of open questions - also adds to the momentum and potential convergence.

Combined, the opposition clearly has the potential to put Najib back on the back foot, and with a little luck, the rest of BN as well.

Things got pretty hot and heavy between DAP and PKR for a moment there.

Seeing how things turned out in the end, PKR should respond to this decision with humility and magnanimous praise.

Yes, DAP took a few small parting shots and snipes at PKR, but nothing that should seriously bruise any rational person’s ego.

Credit must ultimately be given to DAP for realising that it was embarking on a disastrous project, and had the humility and wisdom to correct its course before it was too late - whatever excuses it gave for its exit strategy.

Had the same approach been applied to the Kajang Move, we might now be in a different landscape completely, but I suppose we all live and learn.

What’s next?

Of course, we’re not out of the woods yet. There’s a lot of work to be done before we are in a position not only to topple Najib, but to replace him and BN with something better.

Muhyiddin seems to be crossing the Rubicon, not only by appearing with Wan Azizah, but also recently by going so far as to call Umno a run-down car that is beyond fixing, which needs to be scrapped. Strong words.

Muhyiddin stated clearly that Wan Azizah is the opposition leader, and there will be no changing that.

This statement should, however, perhaps not be taken for more than it is. Acknowledging someone to be the opposition leader is not the same as saying you support their candidacy for the prime ministership.

Muhyiddin’s waffling stance on Anwar Ibrahim also may have raised some eyebrows.

In essence, the opposition’s biggest challenge will be to agree on a candidate for prime minister.

In this sense, we are looking at a very ‘Highlander’/‘Game of Thrones’ situation. Our political structure, while not unique in this regard, makes for a very all or nothing kind of game.

That said, it’s probably not beyond our scope of imagination to think up some power-sharing formula that may be equitable.

Some variables that could perhaps be played which include public pledges for a one-term premiership for one person, to be replaced with another candidate thereafter.

Internal dynamics

In moving forward, it may be worth noting that BN’s biggest weaknesses could be internal.

The likes of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Hishammuddin Hussein are strongly behind Najib now, but given the potential upside such individuals might enjoy in a post-Najib scenario, they could perhaps be incentivised to abandon the Najib ship. If exploited correctly (and in a manner consistent with principles), this could work out well for those in the opposition.

There must be other options as well, and it falls to our creativity and diligence to find ways to potentially make this work.

Whatever the case, in an environment where causes to do so are sadly rare, today is a day to celebrate.

The movement for change needs one thing above all - a willingness to put others before self.

It may be that it was other internal voices within the DAP leadership that worked hard to bring about this outcome, quietly and behind the scenes. Perhaps it was vocal DAP supporters. If so, kudos as well to those unsung heroes.

We in the general public may never know the internal dynamics that really led to this end result, but perhaps those have never been what really mattered.

What mattered was a decision was made, and the rakyat have won this battle. Now onwards to the war.

NATHANIEL TAN is grateful for little gains.