Khir Toyo

There are two notable figures in the Malaysian politics--one young and one old--who love to juggle with the issues and repeatedly stun the nation with their explosive remarks.

Even if I don't go any further, you might have got them right!

Exactly, that is our most revered former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

As for the younger chap; he is nowhere near Dr Mahathir in stature, just a dentist who has earned a multimillion mansion pulling out the teeth of his patients.

Although Tun Mahathir does not seem to like Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo, the former Selangor menteri besar's gossipy style is beginning to look increasingly Mahathir-like, and perhaps much more annoying.

Pardon me for putting things so crude: to get these two big guns to shut their mouths is next to impossible!

These two old-and-young pair: one leaving his office on own accord, another thrown out of office by voters--have nevertheless something in common: they both have a strong lingering passion for their glorious past.

They even share an identical fate: directly or indirectly implicated in scandals after relinquishing their official duties.

The judicial scandal that has shocked the nation has invariably dented Tun Mahathir's reputation, eroding his seemingly formidable status in the nation's history.

Khir is similarly entwined in scandals involving the former state administration. A good deal of old sores have been dug out, and to top if off, a multimillion mansion that almost puts his glamour on par with that of the former prime minister.

Talking about strength and prowess, Khir is faintly comparable to Dr M, that kind of leader who glows with overpowering charms. Khir is but a distant backseater!

But talking about nonsensical remarks, Khir is by no means inferior. He seems to enjoy his old antics even though each time he opens his mouth, he has invited drones of negative responses and nothing else.

For instance, he openly accused Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim of absue of power and misappropriation of public funds.

After the Elizabeth Wong incident came to light, he was the first to hop out and urge Eli to resign. In the more recent incident of Teoh Beng Hock's tragic death, where MACC was the obvious target of public wrath, Khir was among the very few to back the anti-corruption agency in totality.

Khir opened his mouth again several days ago. This time, he seemed to have developed a special passion for the gang issue. He "disclosed" that "a secret society was at the back controlling the sand quarry, massage parlour and illegal betting activities in the state, even helping some of the candidates win the elections last March so that they could go on their evil trades.

Corruption, immorality, secret society activities must indeed be weeded out. That said, many people in the street fail to understand why Khir has remained tight-lipped over the threats received by MCA president Ong Tee Keat from secret society people.

Why Khir, even when he was still in power, failed to wage full-scale war against the dark forces, yet grew so passionate about an Utusan report on "secret society sponsoring YB"?