Umno leader plans to forge unity government with DAP, PKR, say sources

SM Amin SM Amin Updated 5 years ago · Published on 13 Dec 2018 5:30PM · 7 Comments

Umno maverick Nazri Aziz who has in the past locked horns with the Pakatan Harapan chairman is said to be working on a plan to forge a unity government with PH components. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 13, 2018.

A FACTION in Umno now wants to form a unity government with ruling parties PKR and DAP, in the latest twist in the saga of the Malay nationalist party post-May 9.   

The plan, allegedly driven by Barisan Nasional secretary-general and party maverick Nazri Aziz, follows the exit of half of Umno’s Sabah leaders and members on Wednesday.  

It also comes on the heels of a revelation that a top party leader is orchestrating a mass defection of the party’s MPs on the peninsula to Bersatu, a component of the Pakatan Harapan government.

Umno currently has 43 seats in parliament, making it the biggest opposition party. But the number is steadily thinning as more MPs either jump ship to Bersatu or leave to stand as independents.

According to five Umno sources who spoke to The Malaysian Insight, Nazri has been travelling all over the country to sell the plan to the division chiefs.

The meetings were under way even while Umno leaders were bashing DAP ministers and accusing them of taking away Malay rights over the PH government’s abortive attempt to sign an international treaty to end racial discrimination.

In the closed-door meetings with the division heads, Nazri presented the plan as having the blessing of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 

The five sources were present in these meetings which were officially to discuss current developments and the party’s future.    

Plot is plan B

One of the sources said Nazri explained that the plan was to support PKR president Anwar Ibrahim as the eighth prime minister in a prospective DAP-PKR government.

The new plot came about after attempts to work with Bersatu failed, the source said. Nazri alleged that it was because Bersatu president and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad wished to see Umno dissolved.

“Nazri said negotiations with Dr Mahathir fell through. The alternative available now is for Umno to talk to Anwar so that we can quickly be part of the government without waiting for the 15th general election,” said a source.

In a recording of one of the meetings heard by The Malaysian Insight, Nazri is heard saying Umno will not last long if it remains in the opposition.

The meetings have to this point involved party divisions in Selangor and they took place around the time Zahid made the official announcement that Umno would work with PAS to form a united opposition to the PH government.

PAS and Umno members were the lead actors in the December 8 anti-ICERD rally in Kuala Lumpur, having cast themselves in the role of defender of Muslim and Malay rights..

In a question and answer session with division leaders, Nazri said it was not impossible for Umno and DAP to work together despite the bad blood between the two parties and Umno’s constant vilification of DAP.

‘Possible to work with DA’P

Malays could accept the tie-up, he said, because Dr Mahathir’s party Bersatu, had proved that Malays could work with DAP.

That is the reality, Dr Mahathir has taught us to work with DAP,” Nazri said in the recording,.

An Umno source said Umno had presented its conditions for forming a pact with PKR and DAP, to which had allegedly Anwar agreed. 

Among them are that Umno would be allowed to function as a party and that there would be no more investigations into its leaders, and party MPs’ allowances be maintained. 

As a member of the pact, Umno agreed it would not demand a place in the cabinet or the posts of chief minister or menteri besar, and that it would be content with minor posts in the local councils and the village committee.

Nazri said the arrangement was to ensure Umno’s survival until GE15, a source said.  

Nazri, who is the Padang Rengas MP, also allegedly said the new unity government will include Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Parti Warisan Sabah.

GPS is formed of Sarawak BN parties in June after the former ruling coalition was dissolved in the state. GPS comprises Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak, Parti Rakyat Sarawak and Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak. – December 13, 2018.

Sign up or sign in here to comment.

Comments

  • Such people will even sell their own mothers if required to gain back the corridors of powers. People of no principal.

    Posted 5 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply

  • Do they know what they want or where they are headed to? They are behaving like a headless chicken.
    Out of Desperation, First Umno said they wanted Unity Government with PH ... Then they dropped the idea and said No...
    They blamed DAP for all problems! (They had to blame timeline)! There is no integrity in Umno. They intentionally failed to see the abuses and corruption amongst their leaders and that right under their noses!!!
    Back to the story..... Still looking for allies, they then proposed alignment with PAS.. Umnos president saying, they have common ideologies on the way forward..
    They then held hands and marched together like loving couples at the Anti-ICERD rally... warning the PH government of Malay supremacy! Again blaming DAP for all racial issues!
    Then there was an exodus of Umno leaders from Sabah.. There was more talk of Umno MPs leaving the party in the Peninsular..
    Panic alarms raised... Now its back to the UNITY Government proposal again..
    When will they learn that they should remain focused on their roles.... that is to serve their constituents.. Its all about the constituents and not about them! Completely selfish lot!

    Posted 5 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • They had 60 years to prove themselves... now out of desperation they are exploring all /any options..
    I think its time for the party to reinvent itself..
    Save yourselves the embarrassment and do voluntary dissolution and form a new political party.
    Have fresh elections and set new realistic manifestos. Appoint a new guard to lead the party. Retire the old and corrupted fellas.

    Posted 5 years ago by TTs Take · Reply

  • Single race party is no longer relevant. The best thing for UMNO to do is to dissolve it and form a new one based on new political ideas which are democratic and inclusive.

    KJ is best man to do it. Old warlords can retire.

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • UMNO cannot even be a good opposition...so why should give them chance to have unity government.

    Posted 5 years ago by Will Be Humble · Reply

  • Something good coming up from this unrealistic actions or more of a ploy which shall shake up PAS and in the end they are the loser. They are now being harshly revealed that when one is insincere and play out a good partners in those days of PR , be prepared to be played out when one interact with rogues like Umno where trust deficits is their trade mark with back stabbing process for their sole selfish reasons of survival. Nothing surprising that Umno will dig,scratch, beg and bullshit to be in the Government without any moral ethics and leaving PAS in a lurch. PAS in the end will not be forgotten and forgiven for their treacherous dealings togather with Umno and also using their concocted self made Islam as a guise in their political ascension without any remorse in their wrong doings. Hopefully that thisabsurd ploy to be realise or unrealise will set this two miscreants parties at each other throats.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Jangan mimpi tiap tiap hari lah.

    Posted 5 years ago by S L · Reply