Umno must focus on winning people’s mandate, not alliances: Nazri

KUALA LUMPUR – Umno and Barisan Nasional should slug it out for the 15th general election (GE15) before deciding to forge any alliances with other political parties or coalitions, said Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

Stating that this is his personal view, the Padang Rengas MP admitted that Umno no longer wields the force it had prior to GE14.

“Despite that, Umno remains a practical party and the best thing is to face the outcome by earning the people’s mandate,” he told The Vibes.

Commenting on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s reticence on the possibility of working with opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Nazri opined that any sort of cooperation should only be discussed post-election.

“Umno and BN need to prove their mettle at the polls first, by earning the people’s trust.

“Realistically, at present, BN’s presence is only in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, without a chapter in Sarawak. 

“Therefore Umno-BN may not have even enough seats to form the (federal) government easily.

“If we have enough seats, we will start talking to others to form the government,” he said without naming any specific coalition or individuals.

The former Umno Supreme Council member also suggested that the “Perak government template” may be applied in future negotiations with other parties.

“Like in the newly formed Perak government, DAP and Pakatan Harapan assemblymen can be given full allocation in return for their support towards the Umno-led government,” he added.

Nazri’s response came after Najib neither confirmed nor dismissed the notion that cooperation between him and Anwar could be reignited once more.

“Well, you know the dictum in politics, saying there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies. 

“I think that’s true, and that speaks for the other side as well,” Najib told The Vibes in an exclusive interview recently.

While politicians in general must seize opportunities, he said, one should not be too opportunistic, as political stability can be achieved only if the relationship is enduring, with trust as its basis.

“You have to trust one another. If you have trust, the relationship will endure.”

When asked about possible tie-ups, the former Umno president said the party has to keep its options open in the new political milieu.

“I always thought that somewhere along the line, sooner or later, a general election would be the best solution for the country. Let the people decide.

“When you have a government that doesn’t seem to have an outright strong majority, a stable government, some countries have elections almost every year to solve their political impasse,” he added. – The Vibes, May 17, 2021