DAP and Bersatu have become the greatest threats to Umno, said several grassroots leaders.

“The Malay bloc, consisting of PAS and Umno, will feel threatened if DAP is part of the equation,” said former senator Hanafi Mamat.

“Anyone (who wants to form a government) can guarantee DAP won’t be a threat but can this happen when they are so different from us?” said the former Tanah Merah division chief.

He said that the DAP constitution supports the “Malaysian Malaysia” concept while the Malay parties are about defending Malay rights and privileges.

Hanafi concedes that while has not read the DAP constitution, he said the party does not defend Islam or the royal institution.

“As such, I don’t think Umno is afraid of any other party other than DAP,” said Hanafi.

Another former Umno senator from Perak, who declined to be named, voiced similar sentiments when asked what he thought about the current political tussle.

“We can accept anyone but DAP,” said the senator.

He, however, did not explain how the multiracial party threatened Umno.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government is undergoing a crisis of confidence after Umno said it is considering pulling out of the seven-month-old administration last week.

The Bersatu president’s problems are exacerbated by Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim who claims that he has the support of the majority of the MPs in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat.

PH only has 91 MPs and will need the support of Umno to cross the 112 mark while Muhyiddin’s support is a razor thin 113 only.

Bersatu threat

Two other grassroots leaders from Perak and Selangor said Bersatu is their biggest problem.

“Bersatu has shown what it can do to Umno in the recent Sabah elections. I don’t feel they are that reliable,” said the grassroots leader, who works in Putrajaya.

He said that Bersatu, a splinter party of Umno, is almost identical to Umno and would most likely vie for the same kind of voters and seats.

“As it is, we have already lost 15 MPs to them through defections. Does this mean that Umno will lose these 15 seats and more when seat negotiations begin for GE15?

“The Sabah experiment has shown how Umno, which used to be the biggest party in Sabah, is now playing second fiddle to Bersatu. Umno will be finished if Sabah is repeated in the peninsula.

“Losing seats to your rivals is normal in any election. But losing seats to your allies is suicide,” said the Selangor leader.

Another Umno youth chief from Perak said Bersatu would eventually replace Umno if it is allowed to thrive.

But Hanafi said the Umno grassroots did not hold any grudges towards Muhyiddin.

“The problem is with Umno, which wants more seats. The grassroots are unhappy with Anwar rather than with Muhyiddin.

“While it’s true that Umno needs more seats in order to be strong, some members believe that the country would still be under DAP, had it not been for Muhyiddin,” said Hanafi.

As such, he said the grassroots are divided over the possibility that Umno would be supporting Anwar to topple Muhyiddin.

‘Umno is divided’

For Pokok Sena branch leader Muhammad Farhan Ahmad, the issue is Umno’s own leadership.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s DAP, Anwar or Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The real issue is that Umno itself is divided.

“Some are supporting Muhyiddin while others want Anwar. This division will not help Umno at all,” said Farhan.

The Kedahan was referring to former Umno youth chiefs Hishammuddin Hussein and Khairy Jamaluddin, who said on social media that they’re willing to defy party president Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi if the latter backed Anwar for the PM post.

Another Selangor leader, who declined to be named, said Umno should continue negotiating with Bersatu.

“We should maintain our conditions to Bersatu, which is no Anwar or DAP and strengthen Muafakat Nasional.

“There is no threat to Umno but Anwar and DAP. And we should try to avoid working with them.” – October 19, 2020.