No PH leaders at Umno AGM to appease grassroots, say analysts

 

The Umno general assembly in 2023 was attended by prime minister and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook.

PETALING JAYA: 

Analysts believe Umno has decided not to invite top unity government leaders to its general assembly later this month to appease the party’s grassroots, particularly amid rising tensions with DAP.

With Umno and DAP leaders trading barbs almost every week over a variety of issues, Universiti Teknologi Mara’s Ariff Aizuddin Azlan said Umno grassroots would be feeling dissatisfied with the party’s ties with their former rival.

“The cracks (between Umno and DAP) are beginning to emerge. The dissatisfaction among Umno grassroots may have played a role (in not inviting unity government leaders).

Umno’s decision is the right move when you consider the current sentiments, which does not really benefit Umno and DAP’s relationship,

 he told FMT.

National Council of Professors fellow Azmi Hassan said the presence of leaders from non-Barisan Nasional parties would spark discontent among delegates, especially as it would force Umno leaders to tweak their speeches to cater to their guests.

“This will alleviate some of the tension and make it much easier for Umno leaders to explain a variety of issues, including the party’s cooperation with Pakatan Harapan.

In the previous Umno general assemblies, it could be seen that the explanation of why Umno needed to work with DAP was not acceptable (to the grassroots),

 he said, adding that he was sure PH leaders understood Umno’s reasoning for not inviting them this time around.

Leaders of both parties have locked horns in the past year over various issues, from the sale of socks bearing the word 

Allah

 and the proposal to nominate new villages as a Unesco world heritage site, to vernacular schools and, most recently, the lifting of a ban on a comic book by controversial former DAP member Hew Kuan Yau.

This tension is said to have been reflected in elections, too. After being elected Sungai Bakap assemblyman in last month’s by-election, PAS’s Abidin Ismail claimed that Umno voters gave him their backing out of rejection of Umno’s ties with DAP.

Yesterday, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said senior government leaders will not be invited to its general assembly to ensure that this year’s gathering is an internal affair.

Last year’s Umno general assembly was somewhat historic, with prime minister and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim returning to the assembly for the first time since June 1998, and Loke Siew Fook being the first DAP secretary-general to attend the gathering. - FMT