BY boycotting the Port Dickson by-election, Umno has missed the opportunity to show its ability to revive and serve as a credible opposition party, analysts said.

The Malay party has also made itself look weak by deciding to give up the seat without a fight to the main contender, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, they said.

Regardless of the reason for the by-election, Umno could have used the occasion to show voters a new image and the direction it was taking after losing federal power in the 14h general election, said Azizuddin Sani, political analyst at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

“The probability of losing is there, with victory for PKR very likely, but Umno is too quick to give up,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“It has missed the opportunity to show the change that the party has undergone

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday announced that the party would boycott the Port Dickson by-election that he said was forced to fulfil Anwar’s ambitions.

Anwar is to succeed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister but before that can happen, it is necessary that he has a place in Parliament.

Political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi, of Universiti Malaya, said Umno’s boycott could be a pretext to protect ties with the future prime minister.

He noted the post-GE14 positions of Umno and PAS, which had both indicated their willingness to work with other parties to maintain their political relevance.

“PAS and Umno would want to establish a relationship with PKR, especially with Anwar at the head.

“Therefore PAS and Umno are giving some sort of signal that they are willing to cooperate with any component of Pakatan Harapan, even though this may not be accepted by Anwar and PH,” he said.

Awang Azman said he expected PH under Anwar in the future to have a less hostile relationship with Umno and PAS, as Dr Mahathir’s dislike of PAS ran deep.

Umno’s reason for the boycott notwithstanding, he said the party also realised that it did not have a  candidate who could offer Anwar a challenge in Port Dickson.

“Anwar is the PKR president and future prime minister so an ordinary candidate will not do, and even higher-ranking candidates like Mohamad Hasan don’t even dare try.

“Mohamad, who is the Umno deputy president and the former Negri Sembilan menteri besar, had strongly opposed Umno’s participation in the by-election and had made his opinion known via a press statement even before the party leadership had reached a decision on the matter.

The Umno No. 2 led the party’s old guard in opposing several younger leaders who thought the party should contest the by-election.

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and Khairul Azwan Harun had wanted the party to field a candidate and had taken to social media to express their disappointment when their  elders opted for a boycott instead.

Asyraf said if not Umno, another Barisan Nasional component party should have entered the contest. He hinted in an Instagram post that the meeting had been a heated affair as he tried to push forth reasons to justify contesting in the by-eleciton.

Khairul Azwan said he felt the decision was disappointing given that Umno had talked about reforming itself and wanted to be a credible opposition party.

Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin was another young leader who had wanted Umno to contest the by-election.

Ilham Centrd CEO Mohd Azlan Zainal said Umno’s boycott suggested that the party was in “defensive” mode after its defeat in GE14.

“It shows the party is not confident in itself and reflects the weakness of the opposition as a whole. Its loss in the general elections has left it on the defensive.”

The departure of senior party leaders, such as former ministers Mustapa Mohamad and Anifah Aman, has dealt Umno another blow while it is down.

“Zahid himself knows that Umno is damaged and difficult to repair,” Azlan said. –  September 26, 2018.