“Could UMNO abandon the Madani gov’t after being mocked by its former rival, DAP?”

 

THE political heat is boiling over. Incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s supporters both at leadership and grassroot levels in UMNO are furious over the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s rejection yesterday (Dec 22) of the party’s ex-president to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

That decision hit hard with the anger being aimed straight at the Madani government with threats of severing Barisan Nasional’s (BN) ties with coalition partner Pakatan Harapan (PH).

So here’s the burning question. Will UMNO walk away from the unity government helmed by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who also happens to be the mentor of reigning UMNO president and BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi?

By the way, Zahid who is also the Deputy PM only re-acted metaphorically to the furore inside his party with a one-liner Facebook post, “Don’t pour oil on a raging fire” which only infuriated the UMNO grassroots further.

Right now, nobody knows for sure if UMNO is truly serious in exiting the Madani set-up. But the pressure is real. UMNO and DAP were once bitter enemies. Now they’re forced to work together. It’s already a shaky alliance notwithstanding Najib’s failed bid which has only made things worse.

UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said it might be time “to review” the party’s cooperation with the Madani government. Why? Because DAP lawmaker Yeo Bee Yin who is also the Puchong MP celebrated the High Court’s decision.

Exchanging friendly fires

That celebration didn’t sit well with UMNO. It felt like a slap in the face. Fiery UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh went even further. He called for UMNO to quit the government, stirred up racial emotions and hinted that politics may have influenced the court’s decision.

Meanwhile, DAP leaders didn’t hold back. Yeo Bee Yin called the verdict a reason to celebrate. Tony Pua, the man instrumental in exposing Najib’s 1MDB scandal, took it up a notch by mocking Najib’s supporters as “lovers of a crook” and proudly claiming DAP helped bring Najib down.

Let’s be honest. Those weren’t just political statements. They were firebombs. And they’ve lit up an already explosive situation.

Expect more fiery speeches, emergency meetings and political drama in the days ahead. But will UMNO really pull out? Probably not.

More likely, they’ll use this moment to demand more power, more influence and more respect inside the government.

Yes, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) has the power to grant pardons. But that power isn’t unlimited. It must follow the Federal Constitution. The Pardons Board which includes the Attorney-General must be consulted. That’s the rule. That’s the system. Anything else is outside the law.

So, while some people are cheering the court’s decision, let’s not forget our basic humanity.

Justice doesn’t need a party. You don’t need to dance on someone’s pain to prove your point. That’s not strength. That’s cruelty.

You can’t interfere with the courts. But celebrating in a way that adds salt to wounds?

That’s not justice. That’s provocation. That’s throwing fuel on a fire that’s already burning.

Let the law do its job. Let the wounds heal. Forgive if you can. Don’t forget what happened but don’t make it worse.

Because if we keep playing with fire, we might just burn the whole house down. 

M. Vivekananthan is the aide to Tapah MP and MIC’s deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT 

- Focus Malaysia.