KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Umno will go into its second annual general assembly as a key member of the ruling federal government today, as president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi continues to steer grassroots away from any discontent over its alliance with former rivals Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Following a briefing from Zahid this afternoon, all three wings — youth wing Pemuda, women’s wing Wanita, and Puteri — will launch its assemblies tonight before congregating tomorrow.
The assembly for the whole party will begin Friday night with a keynote speech from Zahid, and will run all Saturday.
A total of 6,433 delegates are expected to attend the four-day event, buoyed from the party’s win in the Nenggiri state by-election in PAS-dominated Kelantan just days before.
Here are some key things to look out for at this year's assembly:
Will Dr Akmal continue to be party’s Youth firebrand?
Wing chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has built a reputation to be very vocal on religious and racial issues, something that is usually expected as the head of a wing conventionally known to reflect the more “politically militant” side of Umno.
Despite that, he has more than often bizarrely butted heads with members of his own coalition’s Cabinet and leaders from ally DAP — despite recent rumours and lobbying for him to be included in the Anwar administration.
In just the past few weeks, he had trained his guns on DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke over donations for vernacular schools, and vice-chairman Teresa Kok for supporting a court decision to lift a ban on a pro-China comic.
The vitriolic remarks were likely a part of a calculated move not just to beef up his own political standing, but a way to appease many of the grassroots who are still unable to digest Umno's collaboration with the DAP.
Dr Akmal's policy speech will likely continue to reflect this strategy, despite the risk that his criticisms would only harden anti-PH sentiment and thwart Malays from supporting not only the unity government, but Umno itself.
What’s going to happen behind closed doors?
Last week, party secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki confirmed that senior leaders from allies in the federal government coalition were not invited to attend this year’s Umno meet.
According to him, the party wishes for this year’s meeting to focus on internal affairs — or “discuss issues as a family.”
This could mean two things: either Umno wants to thrash it out over its role in the Unity Government alliance, or it aims to let delegates to be open on Malay and Muslim-related issues deemed too thorny for the public.
For the former, the debates are set to reflect the resolutions and issues raised at the divisional meetings — where the alliance in PH has openly been met with cynicism, amid a clash with ally Parti Amanah Negara on who should contest the Mahkota state by-election.
As for the latter, it remains to be seen if delegates are convinced with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s commitment to the Palestinian cause after flying in injured Gazans for treatment, and the Bumiputera Transformation Plan that was launched just this Monday.
How much longer can Zahid rein Umno in?
Pundits think Zahid would likely want to avoid as much heat as possible and stick to a neutral tone as he aims to keep Umno in the government at least until the next general election, focusing more on public policies and achievements of the unity government.
But the Umno president could still be forced to appease unnerved grassroots and factions that want to see Umno leave PH. If anything, cues of how he plans to navigate through this difficult situation will be reflected in his policy address.
This could be reflected in his left-field remark earlier this month, claiming that he was “mastermind” behind the ousting of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister — all in an attempt to save Umno from getting deregistered.
At least one top party leader, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed has since come out lauding Zahid for this — calling him a “saviour” of the party from the threat posed by Dr Mahathir.
However, should any delegates have any thought of Umno leaving PH to return to Perikatan Nasional, or at least a Muafakat Nasional-style alliance with PAS, they should curb their enthusiasm.
Zahid had in the last month repeatedly shut down overtures from the Islamist party, vowing that Umno will not entertain the matter as long as Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang remains as its president — citing the latter’s fickle attitudes on issues that have previously been agreed upon in face-to-face discussions.
He was also quick to shut down any top-level negotiation with PAS leaders in an attempt to rekindle an alliance, downplaying any possible clandestine meetings as private and unofficial.
