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PETALING JAYA: The unhappiness of the grassroots leaders of Umno with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is the main reason for the growing gap between the two parties.
Political analysts are of the opinion that a call by 189 leaders of the Umno division to cut ties with Bersatu has left the Umno high council with very little room for maneuver.
Professor Dr. Jeniri Amir, who is a senior member of the Malaysian Teachers Council, said that grassroots leaders feel that their party has been intimidated by Bersatu.
He said they feel that instead of appointing senior ministers, a leader from Umno should have been appointed deputy prime minister.
“The grassroots leaders of Umno do not want their party to be Bersatu’s second fiddle.
“They think that if they call early elections, they can do better than in the 14th general election.
“Power is everything to these people, especially those in the ‘court group,'” he said, adding that if Umno were in power, he could do whatever he wanted or needed.
Jeniri said she was of the opinion that now is not the time to hold general elections, especially with the Covid-19 pandemic, as the high cost of holding elections will also have an impact on the country, as the economy was recovering.
Power is everything to Umno’s leaders and they want to determine their own future, he added.
“We are now in a time of political uncertainty, and Umno feels that the general election will give them a chance to return to power, no matter how small the chance.”
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia professor of geostrategy, Dr. Azmi Hassan, said that the decision by grassroots leaders has forced the hand of the party’s top leaders.
He said that they want Umno to cut ties with Bersatu and that it is very difficult for the high council to go against this.
“This is not the right time for an early election due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but there are Umno leaders who still want to go ahead with early polls.
“Even with quick polls, a clear winner may not emerge as Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan are in disarray.”
Azmi said that grassroots leaders are pushing to cut ties with Bersatu because they feel a deep sense of betrayal and resentment towards the party.
He said that although the Umno leadership has a different view of their ties to Bersatu, they must listen to the division leaders.
Azmi added that grassroots leaders have made their decision and want the party leadership to move forward.
On Sunday, the Umno grassroots division leaders rejected any kind of cooperation with Bersatu before GE15.
In meetings held across the country, 189 of Umno’s 191 divisions raised the motion.
Professor Dr. Barjoyai Bardai from Universiti Tun Abdul Razak said that Umno’s grassroots leaders feel that Umno can lead Barisan Nasional to form a new government if early elections are called.
He noted that due to the slim parliamentary majority, these problems will continually arise.
“A major problem today is that the PN government lacks an adequate strategy on how to address the problems that are emerging and the grassroots leaders of the Umno are not happy about this.”
Barjoyai said there is also the possibility that the King will not allow quick polls but instead declare an emergency.
He said this is because the country is going through very difficult times and has to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that if there is an emergency, everyone loses.
“It is important for the government to focus on fighting the pandemic and politicking should be secondary.”
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