KUALA LUMPUR – The Umno general assembly this year saw its fair share of rousing speeches, with top leaders using their time in the limelight to create buzz among observers and impress party aspirations onto the masses.
As the curtain closes on this year’s annual meet, one thing is for certain: the public has gained a greater insight into the future plans of the party, with many questions on important matters being addressed.
Among the hot topics were party infighting, the party’s choice for prime minister in the looming 15th general election, and relations with PAS.
No split in Umno… or is there?
Throughout the assembly, there appeared to be strong indications of there being a clear split in the nation’s largest and oldest political party.
With one faction supposedly being led by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and another comprising Umno cabinet members headed by Prime Minister and Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, concerns of disunity within the party had already been brewing for months prior to the assembly.
These worries were not abated when Zahid, in his policy speech, had claimed that there are “traitors” within Umno who have launched attacks against him in an attempt to destabilise the party.
With former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s assertion that the party’s strength lies in its ability to set aside differences when the time calls for it, perceptions of there being cracks in the party looked to be all but cemented.
However, the drama seems to have only been a minor matter as the top three Umno leaders presented their winding-up speeches on the last day of the assembly in obvious high spirits and good cheer, with nary a bone to pick in sight.
Amid allegations that Ismail Sabri’s position was threatened by his party’s top leadership, Zahid had even assured that the party’s vice-president had always been Umno’s choice for the country’s top post.
Ismail Sabri also announced his commitment to put aside differences for the sake of making Barisan Nasional (BN) the dominant coalition, urging other party leaders and members to do the same.
Ismail Sabri v Tok Mat for GE15 PM candidacy
Despite Zahid’s support for Ismail Sabri as the current prime minister, his fate after the next general election remains unknown.
This is going by Zahid’s remarks during his winding up speech and the press conference which followed, where the Bagan Datuk lawmaker did not confirm that Ismail Sabri would be Umno’s choice for prime minister after GE15.
After ruling out himself and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for the prime ministership, he vaguely hinted that the battle for the country’s top post is now between Ismail Sabri and party deputy president Datuk Mohamad Hasan (Tok Mat).
“If Tok Mat wants (to be the prime minister), just wait. If Tok Mat has ‘rezeki’, maybe after GE16. If Tok Mat’s ‘rezeki’ is in fact after GE15, then that’s his ‘rezeki’,” he said in jest.
Mohamad’s possible candidacy for the prime ministerial post could be down to the fact that Zahid may see his party subordinate as more of a party man and the clearer choice to carry the voice of the Malay party.
And despite the conciliatory tone during the conclusion of the annual general assembly, it can be seen that Zahid still regards Ismail Sabri as a competitor and not an ally, in view of the latter’s decision not to dismiss his pending court cases.
However, Mohamad’s PM candicacy would depend on him contesting and winning a parliamentary seat in the looming GE.
Tombstone to be prepared for Muafakat Nasional?
On the topic of Muafakat Nasional (MN), party leaders were ominously mum on the fate of the alliance with PAS, which was officiated with the signing of the MN charter on September 14, 2019.
Adding the silence of Umno leaders with PAS playing no role in the assembly due to a lack of invite and PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang having likened Umno to a “duck with broken legs”, it appears as if the MN pact is no longer a force worthy of consideration.
Furthermore, mentions of PAS only came from delegates who did not have kind words to spare for the Islamist party.
Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki opined that PAS was to blame for the ending of cooperation between the parties as it had decided to side with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the recent Johor polls.
Similarly, Pasir Puteh Umno chief Datuk Zawawi Othman proposed that Umno should only consider rekindling its political alliance with PAS if the party is willing to turn its back on Hadi, and went on to lambast PAS leaders for bad-mouthing, making fun of and insulting Umno.
Conflict between the two parties also flared when PAS Youth exco Nurul Amin Hamid hit back against Puteri chief Datuk Zahida Zarik Khan after the latter criticised Hadi and accused PAS of siding with “frogs” and “scorpions”. – The Vibes, March 20, 2022
Additional reporting by Isabelle Leong
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