Analyst tells why Umno’s deregistration matters

Umno acting president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says any negotiations with other political parties will be done on an en bloc basis.

(FMT) – A political analyst says the possible deregistration of Umno will be decisive in any power play between PPBM and PKR in Pakatan Harapan (PH).

While Umno may not hold any power, independent analyst Kamarul Zaman Yusoff said the party’s 54 MPs are still very valuable.

This is especially so given the signs of in-fighting within PH and questions over the delay in PKR’s de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s release from jail.

Yesterday, Umno’s acting president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party’s Supreme Council members had decided that any decisions made by Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno had to be done en bloc. This was in regard to negotiations with other political parties.

But Kamarul questioned the feasibility of Zahid’s plans, saying PPBM, PKR and PAS did not need the support of the Umno bloc.

The analyst, who was formerly with Universiti Utara Malaysia’s political studies institute but left citing pressure, said what the parties needed were the individual Umno assemblymen and MPs. 

“So, essentially, Zahid is telling PPBM and PKR to stop trying to poach their individual elected representatives and to approach them as a bloc.

“But Umno’s fate hangs in the balance as it might be deregistered by the Registrar of Societies. So I don’t believe anyone would approach the party en bloc.

“I believe the vultures are just waiting to pick off Umno representatives one by one.”

Last month, 16 Umno members from five states filed a challenge questioning the legality of their party, as Umno had not held its elections since 2013.

Kamarul said if the Umno MPs remained together under Zahid whether or not the party was deregistered, this would be advantageous to PKR.

“Zahid is closer to PKR, given that he used to be Anwar Ibrahim’s protege, so if they remain together, then Anwar is likely to benefit.

“But if Umno is deregistered, then PPBM would have an advantage in attracting individual MPs as it would be more attractive given that the nature of the party is similar to Umno and also because Dr Mahathir Mohamad is prime minister.”

Recently, PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli voiced dissatisfaction over the appointment of three Cabinet positions despite the ongoing discussions on the matter.

Citing sources, a recent report by Singapore’s Straits Times claimed cracks had already begun to show in PH after PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail allegedly demanded senior portfolios for the party, including the finance portfolio which went to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

The sources also claimed she had said the finance portfolio shouldn’t go to an ethnic Chinese.

A PKR leader has since rubbished these claims, saying the party believes Lim is suitably qualified for the post.