UMNO will pull down PKR with it in the next GE

Murray Hunter

The rapidly decreasing popularity of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) within its traditional support base, was dealt another blow at the Silver Jubilee PKR Convention, where it failed to rejuvenate party support. Being told the party’s future in government is with UMNO is not a narrative that creates any excitement among party members.

UMNO issues are dominating Madani

Most Malaysians have forgotten the non-stop Pakatan Harapan attack on UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi during the last general election. There was a serious attempt to defeat Zahid in his seat of Bagan Datuk, where he just scraped in by a slender margin of 350 votes.

Zahid was the symbol of everything that was wrong within UMNO. His skilful moves after the election allowed Zahid to become the deputy prime minister of Anwar’s ‘unity government’. Zahid is the ‘Rasputin’ of Madani. He suspended or expelled any internal party opposition. Zahid was assisted by home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to cancel UMNO party elections for the top two positions in the party.

Zahid’s dismissal without amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in court last year, the instability created, and finally his affidavit supporting home detention for the former prime minister Najib Razak, all angered the public.

The above antics have helped many Pakatan Harapan supporters make up their minds to just stay home during the next election and not vote for anyone.

UMNO ‘baggage’ is killing PKR

Zahid is not the true ‘evil’ within UMNO. This comes from present and former UMNO politicians who are board members and chairpersons of government agencies and GLCs. They are there not to serve the people, but utilize the position for personal advantage. Many UMNO politicians have no qualms about entering politics to further their own business interests, rather than unselfishly serving the nation.

Its UMNO people that controls the bureaucracy, government agencies and CLGs. This is why the Madani government is really an UMNO government in disguise.

UMNO helped PKR join the elite

PKR under the tailcoat of UMNO now finds itself sitting at the same table as the elite. The elite is a group entrusted with authority and influence, that takes little care in their fundamental duties towards the wider community. These elites, whether in politics, business, or academia, are in a malaise that betrays their solemn responsibilities to the nation.

This elite prioritizes wealth, personal gain and power for the sake of power. They succumb to the allure of self-interest, often resorting to corruption or favoritism to perpetuate their privileged status. This self-serving ethos breeds cynicism and disillusionment among the populace, eroding the very foundations of trust and solidarity.

Malays themselves are seeing this now. This is leading to deeper unpopularity of the ‘Unity government’, especially the relationship between UMNO and PKR. An anonymous commentator using the pen-name ‘Salleh Kamil’ has generated more than 25,000 reads with his observations below:

“Accountability eludes the grasp of such elites, shielded from the repercussions of their actions by a cloak of impunity. They operate with scant regard for ethical boundaries or the well-being of society, perpetuating a culture of entitlement and moral laxity.

Short-sightedness plagues the decision-making of dysfunctional elites, fixated on immediate gratification at the expense of long-term sustainability. Their myopic focus on personal gain blinds them to the broader implications of their actions, sacrificing the welfare of future generations on the altar of expediency.

Moreover, an air of insularity pervades the ranks of dysfunctional elites, insulated from the realities and struggles of ordinary citizens. Dwelling in the civil service, government linked corporations (GLCs) or echo chambers, they remain detached from the aspirations and grievances of the populace, sowing seeds of discord and resentment.

Ultimately, systemic injustices persist under the watch of dysfunctional elites, perpetuating inequalities and disenfranchising marginalized groups. They resist reforms that threaten their entrenched privilege, perpetuating a status quo that stifles progress and perpetuates social divisions.”

When your own supporters see things for what they really are, no ‘spin doctors’, no amount of censorship, and lawfare against critics will change the fate of the ‘unity government’ at the next general election.

On the 25th anniversary of PKR, it’s a good time to reflect over how this destructive UMNO ‘culture’ has permeated into the party. PKR has become a subservient cousin of UMNO now they are working together as partners in government.

The ‘evil’ within UMNO is fast becoming the same ‘evil’ that can be found within PKR.