THE Perikatan Nasional government will be making a wrong move if it tries to destabilise Umno by using government agencies or by trying to cause friction among its leaders, political analysts said.

They told The Malaysian Insight that any move against the party would only rile up its members, including those who are not necessarily in support of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Last Friday, director-general of the Registrar of Societies, Jasri Kasim, said the Umno Supreme Council’s decision to postpone its party elections, which were scheduled to take place on July 7, was invalid.

This came just days after Zahid announced that the party was withdrawing its support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, a move that has also caused a split in the party with most of its MPs and ministers backing the prime minister.

The rebel group is led by Umno vice president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also the deputy prime minister.

Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar said Umno members would stand behind their party and its leaders if it came under any attack.

“The RoS decision has made Umno members angry. It was a wrong move by the government in trying to put pressure on Umno.

“The members will stand firm behind the party and will not allow anyone to deregister Umno.

“Regardless of who they want as president, but once you touch the party, they will not allow anything bad to happen,” said Hisommudin.

He also said that the party would always prevail despite a split between its leaders at the moment.

“In Umno’s history, those who try to defy the party will end up losing. Umno has been in such a situation before and it knows how to deal with it.

“Anwar Ibrahim, Muhyiddin Yassin and Mohd Shafie Apdal all ended up forming a new party but Umno grassroots will always end up siding with the party instead of individuals.

“Umno grassroots have a strong influence where they will choose the party over individuals,” he added.

Rebels can go

Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi of University Malaya also agreed that a cornered Umno would also gain sympathy from its members.

“If I were a member of Umno, I would be angry if the RoS was used to act against the party. It can be seen as an act by the PN to suppress Umno for rebelling against the government.

“It is in some way, a wrong move by the PN. People will sympathise with Umno, especially fence sitters,” he said.

He also explained that Umno does not want to be seen as being a traitor to the Malay rulers.

“Umno does not want to carry that burden and be seen as disobeying the king.

“As for Ismail and his group, they see it as an opportunity for Umno to take over should Muhyiddin lose the vote of no-confidence. They will retain PN as the government but with a PM from Umno,” he added.

Shah Alam Umno division chief Azhari Shaari meanwhile played down the conflict between party leaders, saying they would eventually find a common ground.

However he admitted that the current split was worrying.

“I am confident that there will be a common understanding. I hope they will sit down and discuss, and as for division leaders, we are backing the president.

“Although it is worrying, I hope the MPs could sit and talk to the president on what is the best solution.

“We will abide by the decision by the Supreme Council and the president (to withdraw support for Muhyiddin),” he said.

A division leader in Kelantan who declined to be named, on the other hand, dared the rebel MPs to leave Umno.

He said the MPs’ act in supporting Muhyiddin has tarnished Umno.

“I personally feel the MPs from Umno should resign. Choose between Umno or PN. If you prefer power then stay in PN,” he said.

Yesterday, Zahid threw a challenge to the rebel leaders, asking them not to stand by and watch the government punish their party.

The party president said that the party secretary-general had given a detailed explanation to the RoS on the decision to adjourn the polls, and yet a decision was made against the party.

Umno leaders are divided into two groups, with the smaller one led by Zahid opting to withdraw support for Muhyiddin, wiping away the prime minister’s thin majority in Parliament.

The larger group, led by Ismail, has backed the prime minister, adding that they would wait until the confidence motion is tabled in Parliament at the next sitting next month.

Zahid’s group has the support of about 15 Umno MPs, including two ministers who last week resigned from Muhyiddin’s cabinet. Ismail said he has the support of the rest, including four MPs from the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Umno MPs make up 38 of BN’s 42 lawmakers, with the Gerik seat falling vacant following the death of its lawmaker last November. – August 9, 2021.