Ramasamy: Negeri Sembilan UMNO “coup” exposes Pakatan Harapan, DAP’s political illusions

 

THE “coup” by the 14 UMNO state assemblymen in Negeri Sembilan (NS) has exposed the farcical nature of the DAP.

Commenting on the dissatisfaction of UMNO assemblymen against Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, DAP’s secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook seemed satisfied with the explanation offered by UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who claimed that he was unsupportive of any tebuk atap (backdoor coup) manoeuvre.

However, Loke appears to have ignored the other statement by the Barsan Nasional (BN) chairman in which he remarked that he understood and sympathised with the 14 UMNO members who had gone against the NS state government.

The question is how can Zahid endorse the present NS unity government led by Aminuddin and yet sympathise with “rebellion” by the 14 UMNO elected representatives?

UMNO might not want to join hands with Perikatan Nasional (PN) to topple the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led state government but that is neither here nor there.

DAP cannot take superficial comfort from the fact that UMNO/BN is still on the side of the PH-led coalition.

DAP not confronting reality

If Zahid was truly honest to the PH-led coalition headed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, he should have advised the 14 recalcitrant UMNO elected representatives to abandon the coup and restore normalcy.

Unfortunately, UMNO with its national ambitions and desire to go solo in the coming (Melaka and Johore) state and federal elections wants the best of both worlds.

DAP knows and understands the true character of UMNO but it remains a subdued  political party, preoccupied with the comforts of power, positions and perks (3Ps).

Under these circumstances, DAP is unwilling to honestly confront the NS political crisis.

While UMNO is waiting for an opportune moment to ditch DAP, the latter remains dazzled and mesmerised by the 3Ps to the extent that it is unable to differentiate between reality and myth.

All the empty talk about DAP leaving the Madani government if reforms are not implemented are merely attempts to convince its supporters that the party remains on the right political track.

But is DAP really on the right political track? The NS crisis has not ended while the final outcome has yet to be decided.

The 14 UMNO elected representatives are not eager to return to the fold of the PH-led coalition. UMNO wants to flex its muscles and the NS has provided the testing ground.

UMNO is no longer the same party that had to court Anwar for political survival in the aftermath of the 2022 general elections.

With just over 20 parliamentary seats, it managed to secure deputy prime ministerial positions and lucrative appointments in state agencies.

Once on the verge of political irrelevance, UMNO has re-emerged as a political party to be reckoned with.

With the addition of new members and the return of those who had previously left the party (either expelled or suspended), UMNO now appears to be a formidable Malay political force in the country.

In this sense, the NS coup was not an aberration but the logical consequence of UMNO flexing its muscles on the basis of its newfound political leverage.

Anwar appears powerless to move against UMNO. Either the DAP extricates itself from this political entrapment or it will remain condemned to a meek and subordinate position within the ruling coalition. 

Former DAP stalwart and Penang deputy chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.

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

- Focus Malaysia.