Kuala Lampur, July 3 -- Remember Margaret Thatcher.

She beat the unions, Argentinians and male chauvinists in her party to leave her imprint on British politics far beyond her 11 years in office. However, the Iron Lady got beat by her enthusiasm for a new tax - the universally derided poll tax - in 1990.

Two Universiti Malaya classmates were Johor menteri besar and education minister then, when Maggie had to go.

They'd remember her well especially as she was in Kuala Lumpur for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting a year earlier. Then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad made a meal of it. A bit like the ongoing overexuberance for the Asean chairmanship.

Anyways, fast forward 35 years, Anwar Ibrahim is prime minister, and Muhyiddin...