UMNO should only hold its polls after the 15th general election (GE15) to avoid giving any advantage to Bersatu to disrupt party unity in the run-up to the national polls, said Terengganu Umno chief Ahmad Said.

“This party election will be a pivotal one as there are other issues at play. It won’t be like previous elections,” Ahmad told The Malaysian Insight.

“There will be winners and losers, and Muhyiddin (Yassin) can take advantage of the situation by making offers to the losers. Then, Umno will be split even further.”

The former Terengganu menteri besar said he fears Muhyiddin, who is prime minister and Bersatu president, could entice the losers in the Umno polls to join Bersatu.

Ahmad also ticked off Rembau MP and cabinet member Khairy Jamaluddin for pushing for Umno elections to be held as soon as possible, before GE15. Khairy has said this amid increasing pressure against Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over his presumed weaknesses in leading Umno.

Zahid is seen by some in Umno as a liability because of his corruption charges and lack of leadership in standing up to Bersatu.

Khairy said party polls were needed now so that Umno had a stronger leadership to face GE15.

Khairy had contested the president’s post when Umno last held its election in 2018, after losing federal power in the general election that year. The 45-year-old ran against Zahid and party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

Umno polls were scheduled for last year but were postponed due to movement restrictions against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ahmad also spoke about Umno’s chances in Terengganu for GE15, saying the party is in a good position to take back the state from PAS. The Islamist party took over the east coast state in 2018 from Barisan Nasional, which had ruled it since 2004.

Ahmad said PAS has been governing poorly in Terengganu with little to show for in new developments.

Instead, he claimed PAS has been distributing parcels of land to its supporters, just as it did from 1994 to 2004 when it governed the state before BN took over.

“They gave land to PAS supporters without following rules. And I am seeing them do this again now. Other than that, there is nothing planned that can bring in revenue to the state,” he said.

Ahmad said PAS’ win in 2018 was not due to its strength but because of split votes.

“In 2018, votes for Umno went to Pakatan Harapan while support for PAS stayed the same,” he said.

“In the next election, with people feeling that PAS has done nothing for them, the votes should go back to BN and Umno.” – April 13, 2021.