MUCH has been speculated over Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman’s dismissal from the Umno Supreme Council, but simply, he might have just been a pawn in a convoluted game of chess.
While the justification offered by party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was that of party disciplinary issues, a remark by Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi following Tajuddin’s removal might shed more light on the rumblings within Umno.
Speaking to The Vibes on Friday, Puad had dismissed the notion that the Pasir Salak MP’s sacking had to do with criticism of the party’s leadership, admitting that he and others have been at times similarly critical of the president.
That Tajuddin was the only one shown the door indicates more may be at play than mere disciplinary problems.
And that the timing of his dismissal came in light of his appointment by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Malaysia’s ambassador to Indonesia could be a telltale sign of a political power play.
Tajuddin, while a party loyalist, has been known to be an ardent supporter of Ismail Sabri, while at the same time commanding huge support among the Umno rank and file.
His appointment as envoy to Indonesia could be equally seen as a reward for his loyalty to the prime minister as much as for his power and influence in Umno at the grassroots level.
The latter is particularly crucial if Ismail Sabri hopes to sway the support of as many Umno members as possible his way and to have a stronger influence on the party amid his faction’s overt rivalry against Zahid’s.
As for the Umno president, taking out one of Ismail Sabri’s “lieutenants” could be seen as the obvious move to further exert his power and flex his muscles to show who is the real boss.
This is while Umno tries – albeit ostensibly failing – to present itself as a united front, as the pair continue to fail to see things eye-to-eye.
Primarily, talks have been that Zahid has not been particularly pleased at the prime minister’s non-committal stand on ensuring the former’s safe passage out of his current corruption trials.
Observers, meanwhile, would argue that it would be to Ismail Sabri’s advantage if his president and those aligned to Zahid were out of the frame, giving the Bera MP a better shot at climbing the leadership ladder.
Another argument revolves around the date of the general election, with Zahid pushing for early polls to take advantage of a somewhat fractious opposition, while Ismail Sabri prefers to hold it off.
While the prime minister has cited the rising cost of living and inflation as justification, snap polls are not in his best interest, as such a move could see him having a short-lived tenure in Putrajaya’s top seat and having less time to exert his influence on Umno.
This apparent reluctance to call for an early election may also be why Ismail Sabri, an Umno vice-president, has been skipping a number of Supreme Council meetings, apart from him potentially avoiding hard-hitting questions on loyalty and commitment.
The prime minister may cite his busy schedule for his absence, but certainly, he must also be feeling out of place in a room lacking many of his closest allies and full of Zahid’s.
Now, all these are not to say that Tajuddin’s removal has nothing to do with his critical attitude towards Umno and the leadership, but considering the happenings in the party of late, there is more than meets the eye.
In a chess game, his dismissal could merely be a case of sacrificing a pawn for the sake of a checkmate. – The Vibes, June 26, 2022
Amar Shah Mohsen is a journalist at The Vibes
