KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Former Umno supreme council member Isham Jalil has made another pitch for the Malay nationalist party to hold a referendum so its grassroots members can decide on their future — whether to stay with DAP as their president wants, or to switch and back Bersatu, as PAS wants.

Isham said the grassroots should be given the chance to decide for themselves, and claimed most were against Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s unilateral decision to support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from Pakatan Harapan — which inevitably meant backing longtime political foe DAP.

"That's why I asked for a referendum, ask Umno’s grassroots, which one do you want? This referendum is a referendum that we have never done before, which is to go to the branches for a referendum and take it to the special general assembly,” the 47-year-old was quoted as saying on a podcast hosted by Utusan Malaysia last night.

"Or hold a proxy referendum, that is, elect a new president. Wouldn't he want to make important decisions like this but didn't get a mandate?” he added, referring to Ahmad Zahid, who is one of PM Anwar’s two deputies, the other being Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof from Sarawak’s biggest party, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu.

"So, if he doesn't want to ask every grassroots member, hold a presidential election and we will know who will and will not vote for you”.

Isham claimed the political power play in Malaysia has changed today, noting that the DAP did not previously factor in Umno’s dynamics.

He also pointed out that Ahmad Zahid rose the Umno ladder without being elected to the position.

"If given a choice, for example we lost the election, wanted to form a government with PAS, but he told us to accept Bersatu.

"The choice is either accept Bersatu or DAP? So, we go to the grassroots, have to choose between the two,” he said in the podcast.

According to Isham, the call for an internal party referendum had been made in the past but was rejected by Ahmad Zahid back then.

The former Umno information chief claimed that Ahmad Zahid would likely lose his presidency if the referendum were held.

Isham pointed to Ahmad Zahid’s recent decision to appoint certain Umno leaders to their party positions, by-passing internal elections to back up his assertion, adding that dissenters paid the price by being excluded.

Isham, who is known to be a vocal critic of Ahmad Zahid, was sacked from Umno on December 6.

Prior to his sacking, Isham had insinuated that Umno’s defeat in the Kemaman parliamentary by-election on December 2 was due to sabotage as certain party leaders were seen as DAP stooges.