IT is tough for Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who faces 47 charges, to make a comeback to lead Barisan Nasional, after his deputy, Mohamad Hasan, led the coalition to a hat-trick of victories in recent by-elections, said a political analyst and grassroots members.
Mohamad, the acting president after Zahid went on leave in December, has shown he can lead the coalition back to victory after it was unseated in the 14th general election, said a politics lecturer, Ahmad Atory Hussain.
“Zahid’s court cases are ongoing. It is difficult for him to return until those are resolved.
“The cases are likely to go on until the next general election. So it can be assumed that Mohamad will continue to lead Umno until then,” the Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer told The Malaysian Insight.
Zahid faces 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money-laundering stemming from the time he served in the BN government.
He went on leave on December 18, after being pressured by fellow party leaders. His leadership also allegedly lacked direction.
This coincided with the time when Umno lost its footing in Sabah after several party members quit. BN, on the other hand, was down to three parties after other component parties’ exit.
A month after Mohamad took over, or Tok Mat as he is affectionately called, BN secured its first victory in the Cameron Highlands by-election.
Two more by-election victories followed after the former ruling coalition won in Semenyih and Rantau in which Mohamad contested.
Atory said there has been a domino effect since the former Negri Sembilan menteri besar took over. He not only garnered the support of Malays but others, including the Chinese and the younger generation.
Umno Pokok Sena division chief Noran Zamini Jamaluddin said party members are of the view that Mohamad should lead the party until the next general election after taking into consideration BN’s recent victory at the polls and support for the latter.
“The grassroots at almost all states I’ve been are hopeful that Mohamad will continue to lead the party. I can confirm. They said Zahid and Mat Hasan should find a common ground in the best way possible.
“I hope the senior leaders would listen to the voice of the grassroots,” he said while attributing Umno and BN’s defeat at the last elections to their failure to listen to the grassroots.
“The senior leaders should make that a lesson.”
According to Noran, having Mohamad as party leader is not confined to the grassroots and likely has the support among the higher echelon.
This is also the wrong time to Zahid’s return, Noran said, but instead the focus should be on the collaboration with its former arch rival – PAS.
However, Zahid should not be sidelined, he said.
Umno Supreme Council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman reminded party members not to spark a leadership crisis by asking Zahid to step down as president.
“Don’t create a problem… what do they want? Umno is better now. So let’s not create problems by raising certain issues or trying to eliminate certain people.
“Let Zahid stay on until the end of his term. We should respect that. What is the benefit of putting a vote of no-confidence against him? What is the use of it?”
He said at this juncture, party members can carry on with Zahid being on leave and Tok Mat undertaking presidential duties.
The current party leadership’s term expires in 2021.
THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT
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