New Crisis Emerging In Umno

Umno is split between the pro-Mahathir group and the anti-Mahathir group. The anti-Mahathir group, in turn, is split between the pro-Najib Tun Razak group and the pro-Anwar Ibrahim group. There is now an attempt to unite or merge the pro-Najib and pro-Anwar group within Umno to face the pro-Mahathir group.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Umno is about to erupt. And that is not surprising because this matter has been festering below the surface for the last 18 months since soon after the GE14 in May last year — and it was only a matter of time for it to surface.

This crisis may not be as bad as the ones in 1987, 1998 or 2015, but it would nevertheless be bad enough to split the party into two. Ironically, all those crises of 1987, 1998, 2015, and this new one, all had or have one thing in common. And that one thing in common is Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the “struggle” for the post of Malaysia’s Prime Minister.

Hishammuddin is Mahathir’s agent in Umno

According to certain Umno leaders, Hishammuddin Tun Hussein is working as Mahathir’s agent in Umno and his job is to lobby as many Umno Members of Parliament as possible to cross over to PPBM.

This is what Malay Mail Online reported today:

Lokman, a fervent supporter of former president Datuk Seri Najib Razak, said that it is important that Umno get rid of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s supporters which he alleged included Hishammuddin and other unnamed supreme council members.

He said he had done what he could by lodging the report and calling for Umno members to not vote for “Mahathir’s supporters”.

He, however, declined to name the individuals.

Lokman was the one who reported Hishammuddin to the Umno disciplinary board

“I am sorry to say this but in MT (Umno supreme council) there are many leaders who side with Mahathir. What choice do I have as I am just an ordinary citizen and Umno member? I have lodged the report so my responsibility is done now.”

“It is up to the Umno members, but I have only one thing to say and that is when the party election comes, we have to sack everyone who sides with Mahathir,” he said. (READ MORE HERE)

Umno is split between the pro-Mahathir group and the anti-Mahathir group. The anti-Mahathir group, in turn, is split between the pro-Najib Tun Razak group and the pro-Anwar Ibrahim group. There is now an attempt to unite or merge the pro-Najib and pro-Anwar group within Umno to face the pro-Mahathir group.

The Mahathir-Anwar power struggle is causing a split in Umno as well

In essence, the split within Umno is about whether Mahathir can stay on as PM7 beyond May 2020 or whether he has to retire and hand power to Anwar. So, at the end of the day, it is all about the Mahathir-Anwar power struggle.

The problem with Umno is they have the Najib a.k.a. Bossku faction, the Ahmad Zahid Hamidi faction, the Mohamad Hasan a.k.a. Tok Mat faction, and the Hishammuddin faction. So, no one really has full control of Umno. And unless Umno moves as one it is of no use to either Mahathir or Anwar.

The reality of the whole thing is Mahathir has not really left Umno. Mahathir is still very much Umno and the Mahathir-Anwar power struggle outside Umno is present in Umno as well.

PAS is with Mahathir so Umno has to decide who wins the Mahathir-Anwar power struggle, and this is splitting Umno

The second important point to note is that both Mahathir and Anwar cannot win the power struggle inside Pakatan Harapan alone because it is almost a 50:50 situation or Mexican standoff. Unless PAS and Umno take sides, neither Mahathir nor Anwar has enough votes.

That is why Mahathir needs PAS and Umno. But if PAS sides with Mahathir and Umno with Anwar, then it will remain 50:50 and neither side is going to win. So, Mahathir needs Umno with him but then the Anwar faction in Umno is also very strong.

So that is what happened today, prompting Apandi Ali to resign in protest from his post as the Umno disciplinary board chairman (READ MORE HERE) and triggering Lokman Adam’s anger (READ MORE HERE).