KUALA LUMPUR – Perception, and not a lack of preparation, could be the cause of Umno’s downfall in the next general election, warned one of its Supreme Council members.
Without trivialising the importance of the party machinery, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said Umno stands to lose by prolonging its cooperation with the federal government, with public anger set to spill over to the largest Malay-based party.
His statement comes on the back of infighting among leaders on whether to withdraw support for the government, and following a claim by Umno election director Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman that the party is not yet prepared to face the national polls.
Shabery cited the 2018 general election and his former constituency of Kemaman, Terengganu, as the perfect examples of how election preparation alone does not guarantee success.
The former cabinet member told The Vibes how, at that time, a primed and ready machinery was not enough to save Umno, which was facing a support deficit due to allegations of rampant corruption among its top leaders, notably, its then president Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
In Kemaman, he said his team had even assisted affected victims hit by a major flood at the end of 2013 by providing aid beyond the usual food baskets.
“We replaced televisions, fridges and stoves for thousands of families, and provided 12,000 school uniforms for students,” he said, with the majority of the funds coming from donations and not government allocations.
Alas, he said, this proved to be insufficient as he was defeated in the 2018 general election – the first time he had lost in Kemaman under the Umno banner after four attempts – while Barisan Nasional suffered a disgraceful fall from power for the first time in history.
“Nationwide, many opposition candidates without any machinery won (their seats).
“It can’t be denied that machinery is important, but when public anger towards the government is high, the parties that are with them will also face problems,” he said, in an apparent reference to dissatisfaction towards the Perikatan Nasional administration today.
Shabery was asked whether he agreed with Tajuddin’s leaked remark made during Umno’s Supreme Council meeting last Wednesday claiming the party is ill-prepared for any election, and that it needs another year to strengthen its machinery.
Tajuddin, who is also a Supreme Council member, also questioned party members on whether their constituencies are truly ready to face a general election.
“If we pull our support (for PN), some of us will ask ‘what’s next?’. What’s going to happen? Do you want an election?” he was heard saying in the leaked audio.
Tajuddin also purportedly slammed the party leadership for deviating from its general assembly decision to only pull the plug on PN when the time is right. Umno, in a statement given by its president last week, instead said it is withdrawing its support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
On this, Shabery said he is tied to the Supreme Council’s oath of secrecy and is unable to comment on matters discussed during its meetings.
Meanwhile, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the views shared by Tajuddin in the meeting are his personal opinion, adding that the only decision that matters is the one announced by the president after the meeting.
“There were various views that were shared during (the meeting), and we take note of every single one of them. But what’s important is the conclusion and decision that was announced after the meeting,” he told The Vibes.
This is in reference to the statement by party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that Umno’s support for Muhyiddin is withdrawn with immediate effect, while calling on the prime minister to relinquish his position. – The Vibes, July 13, 2021
