Umno's top leadership has been grappling with alleged attempts by Selangor Umno's leadership to forge a pact with PAS.
According to multiple Umno sources close to those in the national and Selangor party leadership, national leaders are at odds with the Selangor leadership for holding talks with parties outside the BN coalition.
Sources claim that a sore point for the national leadership was Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar (above).
"During Umno supreme council and political bureau meetings, he (Noh) agreed with the party's decision not to continue cooperation with PAS.
"But outside, he did it anyway," a source close to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told Malaysiakini.
Sources claim that Noh was in favour of making way for PAS to field candidates for several state legislative assembly seats, including the Sungai Burong seat.
PAS won the Sungai Burong seat in 1999. Since 2004, that seat has been held by Umno's Mohd Shamsudin Lias.
Sungai Burong is a constituency located within the Tanjong Karang parliamentary constituency, which Noh represented since 1995.
Earlier this month, Noh publicly said Umno will cooperate with PAS in Selangor to capture the state.
Another incident that raised questions about Selangor Umno's desire for independence was when one of Noh's lieutenants publicly invited Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz to be fielded as Umno's candidate for the Sungai Besar constituency.
According to the Dewan Negara website, Zafrul is not a member of any political party but he is known to be aligned with Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, which Umno has sworn not to ally itself with.
The invitation by Mohd Jamal Yunos, who is the Sungai Besar Umno division chief, has been interpreted by the Umno national leadership as a form of dissent.
"I also do not understand what is Noh's stand... This is one of the reasons why the president (Zahid) is always unhappy with him.
"He likes to pull stunts like this... Jamal is his follower," said the source, who held a significant position in the party.
The sentiment was shared by a source close to Zahid's office, who indicated that the issue in Selangor Umno is under party headquarters' radar.
However, the source told Malaysiakini that so far there is no indication of any action against Noh.
"Besides, the watikah (party letter to appoint election candidates) is signed by the president, not Noh."
Malaysiakini has sent requests for comments to Noh and Zahid's aides. - FMT
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