"What is wrong with that old man, has he lost his marbles?"

This question was overhead being posed during a heated conversation that unraveled at a coffee shop in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend. In their excitement, a group of middle-aged men thumped the table repeatedly and spilled tea on more than one occasion.

The more brazen among the them raised their voices while the timid looked nervously over their shoulders.

The issue which had the men riled up was former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's public lashing of his anointed successor. The drama, the barbs and the skeletons that came tumbling out had become the talk of the town, at least during the half-time period of World Cup matches.

Intriguing twist

It was also an interesting week from a Malaysian journalistic point of view because the unexpected had happened.

Having spent the last five years in malaysiakini, I had grown accustomed to looking through articles critical of the government and its leaders. This was a privilege, if I might be as bold as to call it that, which my esteemed peers in many other media organisations had been deprived of.

But until recently, it was beyond imagination that a day would dawn when I would come across reports containing scathing remarks against Mahathir, not from the opposition but from his former colleagues.

Colleagues who had just a few years ago showered him with accolades and broke down in tears to see him leave. It had been both intriguing and comical to witness the former premier coming under fire on the pages of newspapers, that in the past, would not have dreamt of doing so lest they had a death wish.

Some hailed this as testimony to the greater tolerance and press freedom under the leadership of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Others claimed that the newspapers were now serving a new master.

Whatever the case, the developments over the past week had reaffirmed the fact that in politics, friends and foes could change in the blink of an eye.

The gloves were definitely off. Gone was the hitherto chivalry and henceforth just blood and gore. But while Abdullah preferred to act the gentleman and refrained from throwing any punches, many others had climbed into the ring to do so on his behalf.

Support for his leadership came from all corners of the country and was aimed at sending a strong message to Mahathir that the curtains had fallen on his show. The magic wand was now in the hands of his successor.

Not a golfer

The former premier was expected to retire gracefully and spend his golden years on the golf course reminiscing on past glories.

But Mahathir does not play golf! He prefers boxing, and the octogenarian can still float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. He is a Tiger but no Woods.

After a career spanning nearly four decades, 22 years of that as the undisputed heavyweight champion, the doctor had honed his skills to a surgical precision.

His knocked-out deputies would testify to this.

And just when Abdullah thought he could tee off in peace, Mahathir had stepped into the green spoiling for a fight. Some of the former premier's critics rebuked him for unkindly proclaiming that Abdullah was not his first choice. It was undoubtedly harsh, but then it was also a fact.

Like it or not, Abdullah is an accidental prime minister, whose stars shone brightly when the stars of another dimmed dramatically.

Other critics cautioned the former premier against creating disunity in Umno. But Mahathir argued that he just wanted answers.

National issues

And the issues he raised pertaining to the alleged mismanagement of Proton, the discrepancies in the issuance of Approved Permits and the scrapping of the half-bridge project were not the concerns of Umno alone. These concerned Malaysia.

As prime minister, Abdullah is not only answerable to his party but to the whole nation.

Mahathir had opened a can of worms and they are crawling all over the current administration. His questions have a bearing on the nation's economy, sovereignty and not to forget, taxpayers' money.

These questions were not being posed by some belligerent Umno member but rather the former prime minister who helmed this country for more than two decades. A man whom the whole nation respects either graciously or grudgingly.

So instead of debating on whether it was right or proper of him to ask, the current leadership should answer the questions. And the answers must come from the top.

Abdullah might be a gentleman, but he is also the leader of this country and his administrative decisions and capabilities were being publicly berated by his former superior.

'Wrong choice'

Had Mahathir made the wrong choice?

Malaysians want to know - from the prime minister himself. It matters not if his ministers and party leaders were satisfied, the people must be satisfied.

A former leader recently remarked that Abdullah had been given a huge mandate by the people in the last elections. He had achieved what Mahathir could not.

This was undeniably true. But the people had voted for change and for hope back then. Had these been forthcoming over the past three years?

It is the next general elections that would truly rate Abdullah's performance since taking over the reins in 2003.

And judging by the way things are going, Mahathir - whose marbles are definitely still intact - might just vote for the opposition.

RK ANAND is a member of the malaysiakini team.