Indeed, the fact that PAS was so enthusiastic about the vote should have told the strategists in Harapan that all was not kosher in the yet-formed Madaniville.

What we are talking about here is a fascist movement. PN is a fascist movement. What are the characteristics of these movements?

For brevity, I will use political analyst Peter Bergen’s checklist based on the seminal work of American historian Robert Paxton, who charted fascist movements of 20th-century Europe and the commonalities between them.

‘Overwhelming crisis beyond traditional solutions’

According to PAS, the existential crisis facing Malaysia is that the souls of Muslims are at stake.

According to the narrative of PAS and Hadi, Western concepts like democracy and liberalism are corrupting the souls of the Muslim community.

Concepts such as good governance to equality of opportunity cannot save them but the dogma of a religion, in which he and PAS are the “gatekeepers”, is a ticket to paradise. All they have to do is submit.

‘Superiority of leader’s instincts over universal reason’

During the pandemic, when everyone was scrambling to get by and this was a time when PAS was part of the government, what did Hadi say when white flags were cropping up as a sign of desperation and Malaysians were putting themselves out there to help each other?

He said that any economic measures must be in line with Islamic values.

While PAS and PN will avail themselves of the technology and ideas that the secular world has to offer, they will use it in their agenda to disrupt the benefits that the secular world offers to the very people who are depending on them to lead.

‘Playing the victim card’

From former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s racist rants about the Chinese community to Hadi’s rants about how the DAP are victimising Malays when in power, the narratives of PAS and PN are about how the Malays are losing political power and the majority suffer while non-Malays/Muslims are their “overlords”.

This is why Hadi’s “pak turut” (submit to authority) narrative is not sanctioned by the state because everyone knows that Hadi says the quiet, accepted part out loud.

Sadly, Malay victimhood has been the mainstream political narrative for decades. PAS is merely using the narrative to merge it with its theocratic solution.

Hadi has two former prime ministers in his corner who are now "useful idiots" (a Russian cold war term) for the theocratic state in waiting.

‘Peddling false narrative’

Again this is a tragic point. Tragic because most Malaysians have been hard-wired to accept that only a strong man type can lead this country.

Mahathir nurtured this idea for decades and when he left, it was revived again when Harapan embraced him. The reality is that politics in Malaysia changed with the ejection of Anwar Ibrahim from the Umno paradise.

Sure the opposition faltered and say what you will about Anwar, but he and his allies broke the two-thirds majority, won states and redefined the political paradigm.

Anwar made it possible for voters to see the contrast between states run by kleptocrats and theocrats and those run by flawed democrats.

Hadi wants to revive this myth. His myth-making is rejecting the diktat of the Sultan of Terengganu.

His myth-making is giving the finger to the politically correct ideas of multiculturalism. His myth-making is trafficking in rhetoric that would get the average political operative detained by the state.

Hadi wants to emerge as a theocratic strongman, who would establish an Islamic state in form and function as a new ideal in Southeast Asia, replete with syariah law and a foreign policy that would put Malaysia at odds with regional power brokers.

The missing component is the use of violence. From the Kampung Manjoi incident to the cosplayers in the recent PAS event, the reality is that certain proxies within the opposition are primed for violence or at least - threatening the use of violence.

How long will they be content to wait in the shadows remains to be seen.

So, do not be too upbeat about the fall of Muhyddin. He is more useful now to PAS than he was before. Bersatu scrambling for funds and PAS claiming that they will help them out is demonstrative of how powerful PAS and its money are within PN.

This unity government should continue following the money trail, despite what naysayers say.