Umno’s pro-Muhyiddin MPs in a bind, says analyst

 

MPs from Barisan Nasional, led by Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, declaring support for the PN-led government on Aug 6.

PETALING JAYA: A political analyst says 23 Umno MPs who have backed Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the Perikatan Nasional government may find themselves not only out of favour with party grassroot members or party leaders but possibly even out of a seat.

Socio-political analyst Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said Umno grassroot members prized loyalty among their political leaders.

“It will be tough going during elections for those who were extremely vocal against party leaders and sidelined the wishes of the grassroots,” he told FMT.

Awang Azman said those dissident MPs were likely to find themselves placed at constituencies in which they would have slim chances of winning. Some may not even get to defend a seat at the next general election.

“Grassroot Umno members may feel their leaders ditched them when their support was needed the most during the pandemic,” he said.

Yesterday, pro-Muhyiddin Umno MPs appeared to have been caught off guard by the prime minister’s peace offering to the opposition.

At least two Umno MPs were reported to have said they were in the dark about Muhyiddin’s plans.

Deputy communications and multimedia minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin was quoted as saying that he found out about the proposals when Muhyiddin made the offer on live television.

Zahidi has been a vocal supporter of the Perikatan Nasional coalition.

Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, who was against Umno quitting the PN government, was reported to have said that he was unclear about the nature of the proposed cooperation. He also wondered if DAP would become part of the PN coalition.

Academician Azmi Hassan said one way for Umno MPs to save face was to make a U-turn. “This is one way for them to gain back support from their grassroots,” he told FMT.

“They are aware their grassroots will not support them for sticking with Muhyiddin till the end, and they will use Muhyiddin’s olive branch to the opposition as an excuse to pull back,” he added. “We are likely to see more and more Umno MPs offer their support to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.”

Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, questioned whether the 23 MPs would be able to retain local appeal without the backing of the Umno machinery.

In a national address on Friday, Muhyiddin sought cross-party support for his government by proposing a number of reforms, including term limits for the prime minister, equal allocations for MPs, and a law to ban party hopping. - FMT