No Anwar, no DAP, no Bersatu? Of Umno’s unity govt and selective criticism
The full resolution during the Umno 2020 general assembly that was held in March 2021, was “No Anwar, No DAP and No Bersatu”.
(The Vibes) – Barisan Nasional linchpin’s collaboration with Pakatan Harapan should be viewed holistically
In the evolving scene of Malaysian politics, Umno’s 2021 resolution of “No Anwar, No DAP” has frequently taken centre stage, becoming a touchstone for various critics and political manoeuvrings.
Calls for Umno to re-evaluate its alliances have grown since the party’s disastrous showing in the recently concluded state polls.
After the November general election, Malaysia witnessed a surprising turn of events, with Umno entering into a unity government with Pakatan Harapan (PH), which comprises PKR, DAP and Amanah.
This decision garnered its fair share of criticisms, yet the loudest among these critics seem to possess selective memories.
Until now, some have said that Umno had backtracked on its “No Anwar, No DAP” stance and that it would be better off for the party to join forces with Perikatan Nasional (PN) as it serves the greater purpose of Malay and the Ummah unity.
However, one needs to remember that Umno’s resolution was not just an aversion towards Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim or DAP; it included a clear and explicit mention of “No Bersatu,” referring to the outfit led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The full resolution during the Umno 2020 general assembly that was held in March 2021, was “No Anwar, No DAP and No Bersatu”.
This detail, while conveniently overlooked by many, is crucial to understanding the intricacies of the situation and the reasons behind the resolution.
A faction of critics and political commentators has ardently urged Umno to forge an alliance with PN, which includes Bersatu, in their bid to provide a stronger opposition against the present government, or even engineer yet another “coup” to take over Putrajaya.
However, their insistence on this coalition, while simultaneously decrying Umno’s unity government with PKR and DAP, exposes a glaring hypocrisy.
