Umno needs to resolve Johor MB issue wisely, says analyst

 

Hasni Mohammad has called on the Umno leadership to consider a younger person to lead Johor.

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno will need to resolve potential internal issues if there happens to be a clash of views on the Johor menteri besar candidacy following Saturday’s state elections.

Political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia said this is because throughout the election campaign, only Johor Barisan Nasional chairman Hasni Mohammad was mentioned as the coalition’s choice for menteri besar.

He said if others have their own choices, then they must have the ability to manage the issue well without jeopardising the party’s credibility.

“If Hasni is not appointed, I believe there will be unavoidable internal rifts, as his supporters have been working hard to maintain his popularity as the pillar of BN’s victory in the polls,” he said on Bernama TV’s “Ruang Bicara-PRN Johor Selesai, PRU15 Pula Dicanang” programme last night.

Sivamurugan Pandian.

“Usually, Umno is able to resolve conflicts peacefully through discussions and I believe the party will not allow the issue to fester as it knows Hasni is an extraordinary figure.”

Sivamurugan said that if the issue was not properly resolved, there would be people who would question whether there was an internal crisis in the party, with the emergence of other candidates for the post of menteri besar, more so since it was so close to the Umno general assembly this week.

Kartini Aboo Talib @ Khalid, deputy director of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institute of Ethnic Studies, said that besides Hasni, other two names being mentioned for the menteri besar’s post also had their own credibility and strengths in political leadership.

She said Rengit state seat winner Mohd Puad Zakarshi was no newcomer in Umno as he had been involved in politics for a long time and understood the political situation.

Kartini Aboo Talib @ Khalid.

Machap assemblyman Onn Hafiz Ghazi – the great-grandson of Umno founder Onn Jaafar and grandson of the third prime minister, Hussein Onn – also had strong political pedigree, besides being young and highly educated.

“The youthful spirit comes into play if Hasni wants to promote a younger person to take over as Johor menteri besar,” he said.

Yesterday, Hasni called on the party leadership to consider a younger person to lead Johor.

In the elections on Saturday, he won easily with a majority of over 5,000 votes, beating three opponents for the Benut seat.- FMT