Anything could happen to ‘fragile’ Umno, says party source

 

An Umno division leader said the party leadership needs to give everything to ensure the party remains united through the elections.

PETALING JAYA: Umno sources have revealed how they are sweating out the weeks to the Aug 12 state elections, with division leaders and grassroots members complaining about the party’s fractious nature, and the state of disillusionment over Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s leadership.

One division leader said Umno was fragile and anything could happen within a matter of weeks.

“It is a known fact that the party is divided into a few camps. We see it getting worse with many more (members turning) against the leadership,” said the divisional leader, who asked to be anonymous.

“It would have been best for us to have the elections in mid-July instead of Aug 12,” he said.

Another division leader said the longer it is before the election, the worse it will be for Umno.

“We already have Umno members, especially grassroots, switching to Perikatan Nasional. If we wait any longer, we have so much more to do and will not be able to get much support from voters without the grassroots,” he said.

A former Umno member said the party does not even have anywhere close to the three million members it claims.

“If you ask me, today the figure is not even one million and it will continue to drop. They never explained how the party lost so badly, despite its supposed three million members.

“The figure is not true, hence it is why Umno never carried out a post mortem after the election,” he said, adding that “thousands” of Umno grassroots like him quit the party due to Zahid’s leadership.

“Thousands have joined PN. Even if they didn’t join as a member, they still support the coalition.

“I expect many leaders and former leaders of Umno to join PN as well. The grassroots were doing so before GE15 and are still doing so today,” said the source, who had been an Umno member for more than 15 years.

“Umno had lost its principles on fighting for the rights of Malays,” he said.

“Working alongside a party (DAP), which the party had brainwashed us for decades into thinking was our enemy, is not helping retain members,” he said.

However, Ampang PKR division secretary Aidi Amin Yazid said political parties should be more concerned about how their assemblymen had performed in the past five years.

“If your assemblymen have been doing their jobs, there is nothing to worry about.”

He added that an assemblyman’s job means devotion to constituents throughout the term of office. “It should not matter when the election date is but what matters is the confidence in having done real work for the community. Support is reciprocal.”

However, political analyst Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said holding elections more than one month from now will benefit both sides of the divide.

“This gives advantage to both sides as it gives them plenty of time to campaign.”

He added that it is a good time for the unity government to cement votes because the public mood has been good. “The unity government’s effort so far has captured the attention of voters, especially the B40 community.” - FMT