Umno factionalism eases pressure on Muhyiddin

Internal schisms lead to affirmation of status quo even though party was angry over govt's bid for emergency rule

In a meeting on Thursday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi repeated that the party will back Budget 2021, to be tabled next Friday, and called for snap polls to be held after the Covid-19 pandemic is under control. PHOTO: BERNAMA
In a meeting on Oct 29, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi repeated that the party will back Budget 2021, to be tabled next Friday. PHOTO: BERNAMA
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Umno may be seething at being sidelined in major policymaking, but internal schisms in the largest party of the Muhyiddin Yassin government have led to an indecisiveness that saw a series of meetings this week lead to little more than an affirmation of the status quo.

This comes even as the Prime Minister suffered a major setback when Malaysia's King refused consent on Sunday for an emergency declaration.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 31, 2020, with the headline Umno factionalism eases pressure on Muhyiddin. Subscribe