Machap state assemblyperson Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s appointment as the new Johor menteri besar yesterday came as a surprise not only to voters but also to Umno members.
Since the start of the state election a few weeks ago, former menteri besar Hasni Mohammad appeared to be the “poster boy” of BN’s campaign.
Onn Hafiz's (above) surprise appointment came just a day before the Umno General Assembly 2021, which will begin tonight.
This issue is expected to raise discussions among party leaders and ordinary members at the rally.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia political analyst Jamaie Hamil expects the issue to provoke heated debate among the delegates.
“Maybe there will be a debate about the Johor menteri besar - how can that happen?
“If it is the result of a chess game (played by) senior leaders in Umno, I think it will be more intense.
“This matter will probably take time to calm down," he said when contacted yesterday.
In Jamaie’s opinion, the appointment will have a larger impact on BN voters, who will feel disappointed and deceived as Hasni was touted as the menteri besar candidate early in the campaign, and then dropped out in the end.
He said the issue of the party’s promise, now being seen as broken, would be bigger than the question of who was behind the surprise appointment.
"The blame is placed on them (Umno)," he said.
Therefore, Umno should make the general assembly a platform to discuss how to persuade voters and clarify the situation, Jamaie said.
He said if the appointed menteri besar is chosen by the palace and not by the party or its leaders, it should be clarified to restore the confidence of the people who voted for the Umno candidates.
“When there is another option from the royal side, until today, it seems the decision cannot be avoided by the Umno leadership.
“So, (in) the discussion in the Umno general assembly, they should discuss what the solution is - which will be a way to restore the confidence of the people.
“In the Umno general assembly, I think, don’t let this matter cause a prolonged conflict between the party and the royal side. What needs to be done is to explain the real situation to their own voters.
"Umno has to sit down and discuss carefully, so that the issue can be dealt with sensitively and to the satisfaction of others," Jamaie said.
‘Higher powers’
With the massive electoral victory recorded by BN in last Saturday’s Johor state election, it was expected that the coalition would have a smooth route to assuming state power.
However, the situation was muddied suddenly yesterday afternoon.
Hasni issued a statement asking the party leadership to appoint a ‘young leader’ as the menteri besar after meeting with Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar as well as BN chairperson and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Umno was said to have submitted three names for the palace's approval - Hasni as the incumbent, Umno Supreme Council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi and Onn Hafiz.
Sources said ‘higher powers’ favoured Onn Hafiz to become the menteri besar.
Umno tried to oppose the decision that was said to disrupt Hasni's plans for reappointment.
A total of 38 of the 40 Johor BN assemblypersons were said to have submitted sworn statements in support of Hasni as the sole menteri besar candidate.
According to Free Malaysia Today, the statutory declarations were handed by Zahid to the palace yesterday.
There was also a statement by Umno veteran Shahrir Samad, who expressed dissatisfaction for having campaigned for Hasni as the future menteri besar.
Shahrir said he was ashamed to go to the general assembly because he did not know how to face the delegates.
Onn Hafiz is the great-grandson of Umno founder Onn Jaafar and nephew of Senior Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
‘Indirect’ discussion
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Prof Azmi Hassan expects the issue to be a hot topic in the Umno assembly, but as it is sensitive, he said it would be debated ‘figuratively’.
Azmi said the Umno leadership made every effort to fulfil its promises during the campaign, including 38 statutory declarations in support of Hasni.
“Although this issue is hot, it is sensitive and will probably only be debated figuratively, not directly mentioning the issue.
"But on the (assembly’s) sidelines, this issue will be discussed openly because this issue will make it difficult for the party to campaign in GE15 (15th general election)," Azmi told Malaysiakini yesterday.
This is especially so in terms of gaining support for a future prime minister candidate when this is announced by BN, he said.
Given that the matter was not due to errors by the party leadership or internal party conflict, Azmi predicted there will not be grudges and that the delegates would be open to accepting Onn Hafiz’s appointment.
"At the general assembly, I feel there will be elements of accepting the menteri besar's appointment and a sense of moving on to accept the appointment and working together for a more stable state government, for the sake of Johor.
“For me, this will be accepted by the grassroots as a Malaysian political turmoil when appointing a menteri besar, or even a chief minister or prime minister.”
Azmi said Shahrir’s statement could be interpreted as frustration expressed about the situation, rather than blaming the party’s leadership.
"As I said, it is not a promise that is (intentionally) not fulfilled, but cannot be fulfilled because there are those who are more powerful in this matter," he added.
The Umno general assembly will start tonight (March 16) and go on until Saturday, March 19. - Mkini
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