Veteran newsman A Kadir Jasin believes that there is more than meets the eye with regard to Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s resignation as Petronas adviser.

NONEUnconvinced by the former premier’s excuse that he wasrelinquishing his post due to health reasons, Kadir (left) believes that the octogenarian may be sharpening his blade.

“I will take the doctors’ advice at face value. They treated him and should know better.

“But what I know is, he does not have to climb 88 floors to get to his office at Petronas and the job was not nine to five, seven days a week. He can even advise without being there.

“But he often said he was a Malaysian adviser. Unlike a British adviser during the colonial days, being a Malaysian adviser, he has no power and his advice was not always accepted,” he added in his blog.

The former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief put forth his own diagnosis as to what prompted Mahathir’s exit.

“He is better off letting go of the Petronas job than hanging on to it and risk suffering the heartache of being spurned by ‘The Power’ that now controls the national oil company.

“Everybody knows that the single most influential person in Petronas is board member Omar Ong and everybody knows that Mahathir objected to his appointment,” he added.

May have 'fired first salvo'

Breaking away from the government may be good for Mahathir, said Kadir, adding that the former premier can now say and write things about the government without having to look over his shoulder.

“He is not beholden to the government any more,” he pointed out.

“Although he was quoted as saying that he was leaving the national oil corporation ‘to concentrate on his health’, we all know that his good health and clarity of thought (at 88) are the products of the many good battles that he fought.

NONE“So leaving Petronas might very well accord him more time and energy to fight other battles.

"He might have already fired the first salvo at the government when he said there was corruption during his time as prime minister but it isworse now,” he added.

Kadir also commented on Mahathir’s remark about his hope that Petronas will continue to play its role in nurturing young entrepreneurs.

“That bit about continuing to nurture young entrepreneurs is loaded because he was recently embroiled in a tussle of sorts with Petronas management over allegations that the national oil company was not doing enough to help bumiputera businessmen,” he added.