The Malaysian Insight

WHILE the large number of elected representatives who left Umno this week made headlines, the reality is that the former ruling party has been steadily losing its state and parliamentary assemblymen since the 14th general election.

Case in point: in Sabah and Perak, Pakatan Harapan was only able to form state governments thanks to the defection of a few Umno assemblymen.

As of today, 17 lawmakers have abandoned Umno, with rumours abounding that more are to come.

Why are they leaving Umno?

On Wednesday, five MPs, nine assemblymen, two senators, and 21 division chiefs dumped the party in Sabah, leaving the state chapter crippled.

Yesterday, six MPs in the peninsula followed suit.

Almost all have said that they have lost confidence in the party’s leadership and are unsure about its direction in the new Malaysian political landscape after the 14th general election.

Some said they were disillusioned with the party, as it did not show any willingness to reform, even though it had lost the general election.

They said the party was persisting with its old ways, pointing to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s election as party chief as an example.

Zahid was deputy to former president Najib Razak, who resigned after leading Umno into its worst election performance in history on May 9.

Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed cited the party’s failure to be inclusive in the context of plural Malaysia as among his reasons for dumping the party when he walked out on September 18.

Over in Sabah, former foreign minister and Kimanis MP Anifah Aman said he was leaving as he wanted a new platform to champion Sabah’s rights as envisioned in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

What is Umno’s stand?

Zahid and senior leaders still solidly backing him have slammed those leaving as lacking fighting spirit after the party’s defeat in the last polls.

They said those who left were only looking out for themselves and were seeking government positions, or were looking for immunity from possible legal action against their misdeeds while in the Barisan Nasional government.

Both Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan and Najib said the departures are one way for the party to cleanse itself and rise again at the next polls.

Who benefits from these Umno MPs and assemblymen quitting the party?

Bersatu is the early winner as three MPs – Mustapa Mohamed, Noor Azmi Ghazali (Bagan Serai), and Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Masjid Tanah) – have joined it, swelling the party’s ranks in Parliament from 13 to 16.

More among Umno MPs are said to be waiting to link up with the PH party founded by former Umno strongman Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

If the lawmakers join PH, the new government is set to gain a two-thirds majority in Parliament, giving it power to amend legislation and realise some of its reform promises.

This includes the PH promise of separating the public prosecutor’s office and the functions of the attorney-general, and placing a limit on the term of the prime minister in office.

How have PH component parties responded?

Several DAP leaders have objected to pact members taking in Umno MPs or assemblymen. Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh said accepting these MPs was tantamount to betraying those who had voted for PH in the 14th general election.

PH chairman Dr Mahathir said DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has no problem accepting former Umno MPs into PH as there are “good Umno leaders”, although Lim has expressed his reservations.

Lim said that the Umno leaders being accepted must be good and must “repent” for supporting Najib’s kleptocrat government.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin assured the party will not accept anyone with tainted pasts.

Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub echoed Muhyiddin, and said Amanah was willing to accept those with a clean record.

However, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said the party will not accept Umno MPs or assemblymen, even though some have requested to sign up with the party.

What is Umno’s future?

Umno is now split into three camps. There are those among it who want to rejoin the administration through a unity government, those who just want to quit and migrate to PH, and those who believe they should reform and become an opposition party.

What is certain though is that Zahid’s leadership of the party grows more precarious with each passing day.

Calls for him to quit his post grow louder daily, with a grassroots movement trying to petition for a motion to remove the Bagan Datuk MP and replace him with a leader who will revive the party and give it new direction in the new Malaysian landscape. – December 15, 2018.