Calls in Umno for revival of MN to stay muted, say analysts

 

The Muafakat Nasional pact was signed by Umno and PAS in September 2019.

PETALING JAYA: Despite Umno suffering heavy defeats at the polls since the 15th general election (GE15) last November, party leaders will continue toeing the line and abiding by the wishes of their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, say two analysts.

Even if Umno’s losing streak were to continue, political analyst Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani said, calls for a revival of Muafakat Nasional (MN) – Umno’s now-defunct pact with PAS – would remain muted as long as Zahid was leading the party.

“To a certain extent, there is a desire to work with PAS, especially at the grassroots level. There is still distrust of Anwar Ibrahim and DAP among supporters and party members,” he told FMT.

“However, expect party leaders to toe the party line and not go against Zahid. As long as Zahid remains president, Umno will remain with Anwar.

“It is unlikely that any party leader will be brave enough to say otherwise, especially with the expulsion and suspension of Umno leaders such as Khairy Jamaluddin and Hishammuddin Hussein.”

The fact that PAS had already stated its openness to working with Umno again, though only through Perikatan Nasional (PN), meant Umno would not be able to dictate the terms in working with the Islamic party, he said.

“Umno would have to see Bersatu as its equal. But with Bersatu expected to have a leadership tussle after Muhyiddin Yassin steps down (as party president), perhaps it could be in the best interest of both PAS and Umno to work together.”

Umno suffered multiple election defeats after its worst electoral performance during GE15. In the six state elections in August, it only won 19 of 108 seats contested, a paltry win rate of 17.6%.

Umno also lost the parliamentary by-elections for the Kemaman and Kuala Terengganu seats as PAS stormed to thumping victories. However, it managed to defend the Pelangai state seat during the October by-election, albeit with a smaller majority.

Last week, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said his party was open to working with Umno again, though this must be through PN, which includes Bersatu.

Isham Jalil, who was sacked from Umno last week, said PAS’s Kemaman MP Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar could become prime minister if PN managed to persuade Umno to cooperate before the next general election (GE16).

Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid said there was a fair balance among Umno’s grassroots who wanted the party to work with PAS and Pakatan Harapan.

While calls for MN’s revival could grow louder if Umno continued to perform poorly at the polls, Fauzi said such hopes were far-fetched as long as Zahid remained party president and a close friend of Anwar’s.

“(Calls for MN’s revival) can only serve as PN’s psychological warfare weapon as we move closer to GE16 by the day,” he said.

“It could come about, however, in say 10 years’ time after the passing of the present generation of party leaders.” - FMT