Umno summons divisional chiefs to prepare for possible snap polls in Malaysia

Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa (left) and PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan at a press conference at the Umno headquarters at the Putra World Trade Centre on Feb 26, 2020. PHOTO: BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR - Former ruling party Umno summoned its divisional leaders for a briefing at its Kuala Lumpur headquarters on Thursday afternoon (Feb 27), in expectation that fresh polls will be called to resolve the political impasse.

Secretary-general Annuar Musa said on Twitter that the heads of all 191 divisions nationwide would meet Umno president Zahid Hamidi and other top leaders at 3pm.

Umno, along with its allies in the Barisan Nasional (BN) pact, as well as Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), has called for snap elections to form a new government after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration collapsed when 26 MPs from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) and 11 from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) left the coalition on Monday.

The Straits Times understands that Umno leaders were informed of the meeting on Wednesday while the King was completing interviews with all parliamentarians to see if any candidate had majority support.

"It's a briefing and to prepare for a general election,'' said a divisional chief.

This comes as interim premier Mahathir Mohamad revealed Thursday evening that the King's poll of all MPs did not result in any candidate having the majority of MPs.

He said that an unscheduled meeting of Malaysia's nine hereditary state rulers on Friday afternoon will discuss the issue of calling a snap election.

ST reported on Monday that Umno, which had led the government from independence until it lost the 2018 elections, had pushed for Sunday's so-called National Alliance with some PH rebels and other opposition parties knowing that it would destabilise the Mahathir administration.

Even though the proposed alliance fell through, it opened up the possibility of a snap election at a time when PH's popularity has nosedived.

Dr Mahathir resigned as prime minister on Monday but Malaysia's King appointed him interim premier while he sought to establish a new government.

On Wednesday evening, Dr Mahathir said in a televised address that he wished to lead a non-partisan administration which prioritises the national interest over party politics. He said that he was willing to accept defecting Umno members but would not work with the party because it is corrupt.

PH has also baulked at the unity government plan, and nominated Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as its PM, to honour the coalition's transition agreement under which Dr Mahathir was supposed to step down for the PKR president midterm.

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