[UPDATED] Will Umno members forget purge and vote for party’s survival?

KUALA LUMPUR – Umno members must vote in ongoing internal polls with the party’s survival in mind, and not out of vengeance following the massive purge of dissenters, analysts said.

The election process, which began yesterday, could be used by unhappy members against candidates aligned to the party’s leadership, but this would risk its unity and position in the government, analysts added.

In fact, disgruntled members should realise that purges are nothing new in political parties, said Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Prof Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani.

“It happened in the time of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. 

“People should forget about the purge as they should focus on the positions being contested. The party election is the right time for Umno to strengthen itself,” Azizuddin told Getaran, The Vibes’ sister news portal.

He further commented that Umno has historically been weak whenever leaders try to fight for power.

Umno will not be opening its top two posts to voting, ensuring that president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is deputy prime minister and rural and regional development minister, as well as Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan who is defence minister, will continue to lead the party.

The highest posts up for grabs are then the three vice-presidents’ seats followed by the election posts in the supreme council. The party’s branches and divisions nationwide also have to choose new leaders, which they began to do in stages yesterday, as do the wings – Wanita, Youth and Puteri.

Political analyst Jamaie Hamil meanwhile said the no-contest decision for the top two posts made at the Umno general assembly last month should not be a problem in the election since it was accepted by the majority of delegates present.

As to whether the election will help Umno regain its strength, he does not think this can happen so soon.

“Umno is currently weak, and it’s unlikely that it can suddenly become strong so soon. But improvements can start to happen if members elect those who are in line with the party’s direction and leadership.

“Don’t choose a candidate according to certain camps or factions. Usually, this happens during party elections. If it happens again, then there is little hope for Umno,” Jamaie said.

Umno is in a particularly weak position now having netted its worst-ever electoral performance in the 15th general election (GE15) in November, winning only 26 parliamentary seats.

Despite Zahid himself being embroiled in corruption cases, Jamaie said for the party to regain strength, candidates in the running should not have any pending court trials.

“If anyone is involved in a court case, I think he should withdraw.”

Party polls, which began yesterday, started with the election of branch committee members, and office bearers for the three wings at this level. There will be 22,000 branches involved and this process will end on February 26.

This will be followed by elections of the national-level Wanita exco, Youth exco and Puteri exco, which will be held simultaneously across the country on March 11.

Elections for the party’s 191 divisions and supreme council will then be held on March 18.

Umno’s purge on January 27 saw over 40 party members suspended or sacked. The most prominent sackings were of former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former Selangor chief Tan Sri Noh Omar. Notable suspensions included Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan.

This episode follows earlier internal discord when Zahid dropped party warlords like Tan Sri Shahidan Kassim as candidates for GE15, leading to a revolt by the Umno division he led in Perlis.

With several big names out of the way, party sources say that Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki will go for a vice-president seat, as will Simpang Renggam MP Datuk Seri Hasni Mohamad, the former Johor menteri besar.

Sources told Getaran that at least nine Umno leaders intend to compete for the three vice-presidents’ posts, currently filled by former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, current Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin, and Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

Of the three, only Khaled is said to be wanting to defend his post.

Others said to be eyeing a vice-president spot are current supreme council members, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, Titiwangsa division chief Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani and Law Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman who is also Pengerang division chief.

Umno’s election is being held after postponements since 2021. Amendments to the party’s constitution had been made to allow it to face GE15 first before electing new party office bearers.

Consequently, the deadline for party polls is May 19. – The Vibes, February 3, 2023