UMNO grassroots leaders and analysts are divided on whether the president and deputy president’s posts should be challenged in next year’s party elections.

Some have said the current leadership should play a role in stabilising the government and cleaning up the party first, while others believed that the positions should be contested to restore Umno’s image following the controversy surrounding president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Those who opposed any challenges also said Umno does not need yet another internal conflict that could arise from elections for the top posts.

Pokok Sena Umno division chief Said Ali Syed Rastan said there was no need to rush into the matter now because there were more pressing issues for the leadership to focus on at this time.

“For me it’s good to clean up the party first because we ourselves don’t know who among us can be trusted.

“We need to finish that part first. Then finish the Umno General Assembly. Let’s gauge the mood of the representatives,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“We understand the public perception about Zahid’s presidency, because he also has a court case that is still ongoing, but if we want to change the leadership, who do we want?

“It is good that we first see the completion of the general assembly and the main focus is stabilising the government,” he said, following suggestions that the top two posts – held by Zahid and Mohamad Hasan respectively – should not be contested in next year’s party elections.

The call was first made by Beruas Umno leader Azhar Ahmad.

In an interview with The Malaysia Post portal, Azhar said Zahid and Mohamad should be because they had recently taken up senior positions in the cabinet.

Besides becoming deputy prime minister, Zahid was made minister of rural and regional development in Anwar Ibrahim’s cabinet.

Meanwhile, Mohamad was appointed defence minister.

There had been numerous calls for Zahid to step down following Umno’s hammering in the general election.

Those baying for blood included Barisan Nasional allies MCA and MIC, which openly stated that they have lost faith in Zahid.

In addition, Zahid’s appointment as deputy prime minister also sparked controversy. He is still on trial at Kuala Lumpur High Court, facing 47 corruption charges over Yayasan Akalbudi funding.

Show democracy is alive in Umno

A deputy Umno division chief who did not want to be named said the competition for the two positions should continue to symbolise its democratic practice in the party.

He said the leadership needs to look at the bigger picture, not one internal voice.

He said the public perception of Umno would worsen if there was no challenge to the president and deputy president.

In fact, he said, the recommendation from Beruas Umno division chief cannot be used as a measure because Umno did not even contest in the parliamentary seat.

“For me, Umno needs to move to build a new perception from the perspective of the general public, but if it chooses not to allow any contest, 3 million Umno members may be okay.

“Yet, what about 21 million voters? This number will continue to increase.

“We have to acknowledge the perception (about Zahid), even though we know he is innocent.

“How can we stop that perception?” he said.

The leader said any challenge to the top post would not be detrimental because he was confident that Zahid would keep his position in any case.

He said that the division will only raise the motion in a meeting held before the annual general assembly, slated to be held in the opening weeks of next month.

Meanwhile, Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Md Yunos supported the proposal for no contests, saying it was needed to avoid further conflict in the party.

Jamal said the move did not mean that Umno objected to the idea of democracy, but it was merely to stabilise the party.

“If there is a contest, it will bring disaster to Umno – even though Umno does practise democracy – can the losers accept the fact that they lost?

For the sake of stability

The issue has also divided analysts, with Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar believing that the top two Umno posts must be open for all.

Hisomuddin argued it would be undemocratic of Umno to prevent someone from challenging Zahid and Mohamad.

“Beruas Umno does not want the party to be in another conflict, but Umno has to be seen as practising democracy, and this will test millions of Umno members if they do accept Zahid and Mohamad.

“The positions should be challenged and if they do not allow it, Zahid will be seen as someone who is afraid,” Hisomuddin said.

Meanwhile, Mazlan Ali, a senior lecturer at the Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, said Umno must retain the president and his deputy for the sake of stability.

Mazlan said the current scenario would be detrimental to Umno if it had to face yet another internal conflict.

“There is more than one camp in Umno. Zahid’s camp, Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s camp and Khairy Jamaluddin’s camp.

“With a hot election anticipated, we will see more trouble brewing.

“Judging by this current mood, I don’t think it is suitable, Umno will crack and will be divided further. A Malay party that is as big as Umno cannot face another episode of disunity,” he added. – December 13, 2022.