Call by Umno chief Zahid for snap polls conflicts with PM Ismail’s stance

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (on large screens) delivering his policy speech at the opening of its annual party assembly, at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, on March 18, 2022. PHOTO: UMNO/FACEBOOK

KUALA LUMPUR - The president of Malaysia’s ruling party Umno on Friday (March 18) called on the party to endorse a push to hold snap polls in Malaysia, amping up the pressure on Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob - a senior party colleague - to dissolve Parliament.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the party’s annual general assembly that his call for the early national vote reflects the sentiments of Umno grassroots and that these should be heeded.

“When people loves us (Umno), let’s receive that love. Let’s not long for it after it has gone. The more it is delayed, the more fatigued the people will become,” Zahid told the 5,571 Umno delegates gathered physically at the party headquarters for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic engulfed Malaysia in early 2020.

Thousands more Umno members watched the proceedings on big screens outside the main hall.

Deputy Umno president Mohamad Hasan on Thursday said “the time is now and not next year” for the general election, in a speech at the opening of Umno’s three wings.

Zahid, who is facing 87 graft charges, and his main ally, ex-premier Najib Razak, are among top Umno leaders agitating for snap elections this year. The general election isn’t due until July next year.

Najib, who has been convicted for graft related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, retains deep influence in Umno. He is out on bail pending appeal to the case.

The Najib-Zahid camp is pushing for snap polls after the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition scored major electoral wins at the Melaka and Johor state elections consecutively over the past four months.

Their camp believe that snap polls would see BN returning to federal power with an outright majority, rather than having to continue working with non-BN parties in government.

Opposing the call for snap polls is a rival Umno camp led by PM Ismail Sabri and Umno figures such as Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

This other faction - especially those who hold Cabinet positions in the seven-month old Ismail Sabri administration - wants the government to soldier on.

Responding to the calls for snap polls, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri said on Thursday that the dissolution of Parliament, a step necessary before elections are called, was under the King’s purview.

“If we determine our own date, the King would say we took over his power,” Mr Ismail told reporters while attending the Umno assembly. “We will wait.”

(From left) Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, ex-premier Najib Razak and Umno's permanent chairman Badruddin Amiruldin. PHOTO: BERNAMA

Zahid on Thursday acknowledged that the party will not overreach in its push for hold snap polls.

“We understand that the power to dissolve Parliament is the Cabinet’s prerogative, where the Prime Minister will advise the King. We do not want to disturb that process, but as a responsible party, we have the powers to determine our direction,” Zahid said.

A main plank of Mr Ismail’s resistance to snap polls is that he will likely lose his job as prime minister should Umno-led BN wins power again. Members of his faction would likely all lose their Cabinet posts too.

Asked by reporters on whether snap polls should be held, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is also from Umno, said at a news conference Thursday: "A general election is something that we can postpone until the public health situation has stabilised."

Mr Ismail, the most senior of Umno’s three vice-presidents, is third-ranked in the party’s hierarchy after president Zahid and deputy president Mohamad.

PM Ismail is instead pushing for Umno to quickly hold its delayed internal elections, which would allow him to stand against Zahid. This would brighten Mr Ismail’s chances at retaining the prime ministership should he win the presidency.

Umno’s presidents are traditionally appointed Malaysia’s prime minister, with Mr Ismail the first vice-president to be made premier because Zahid has graft charges over his head, and deputy president Mohamad isn’t a Member of Parliament.

Umno last held party elections in 2018 and was due to hold another in 2021, but the Registrar of Societies (ROS) have granted an extended until December this year for the party to hold their internal elections.

Zahid appeared to resist calls for party election to be held before a general election during his assembly address.

“Be patient (for party elections). The ROS has said that we should have party elections by December 29. Anyone can contest, including for the post of president, deputy president,” Zahid said.

He said 186 out of Umno’s 190 divisions favoured holding the party polls after the general election, and that the party’s convention is to always hold internal elections only after the national vote.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (standing on stage) delivering his policy speech at opening of annual party assembly, on March 18, 2022. PHOTO: UMNO/FACEBOOK

The party’s Puteri (Young Women) and Youth wing chiefs on Thursday proposed amending the constitution to only allow one party election to take place in every election cycle.

BN, which ruled Malaysian uninterrupted for over six decades, lost the 2018 elections for the first time in history to Pakatan Harapan. But BN returned to power in 2020 in an power sharing agreement with Perikatan Nasional (PN), a newly formed coalition led by politicians who defected from PH.

The power sharing agreement has become increasingly awkward as BN and PN’s relationship turned frosty, and the coalitions battled each other in both Melaka and Johor elections despite their partnership at federal level.

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