Umno insider lifts lid on divided leadership as ‘first domino falls’
Not everyone in the Umno Supreme Council knows what is happening, says a party insider. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: A senior Umno leader has revealed the deep divisions within the party which might result in some of its MPs causing the collapse of the Perikatan Nasional administration by withdrawing support in Parliament.
Speaking to FMT, the leader who declined to be named described Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub’s withdrawal of support for prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin as the “fall of the first domino”.
“He had no blessing from the Umno Supreme Council since the party has not instructed any of its MPs to pull out. But as usual, not everyone in the Supreme Council knows what on earth is going on. People are waiting for the president’s (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) instructions but his silence is pretty indicative,” the party insider said.
Speaking to FMT, the leader who declined to be named described Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub’s withdrawal of support for prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin as the “fall of the first domino”.
“He had no blessing from the Umno Supreme Council since the party has not instructed any of its MPs to pull out. But as usual, not everyone in the Supreme Council knows what on earth is going on. People are waiting for the president’s (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) instructions but his silence is pretty indicative,” the party insider said.
The source said those in the party know which leader Ahmad Jazlan is aligned to, and alleged this faction, which includes party leaders facing trial, want to force the fall of the government before the Umno general assembly is held on Jan 31.
At the assembly, Umno is expected to make a decision on severing ties with PPBM, the party led by Muhyiddin.
The source said the fall of Muhyiddin’s government will not necessarily lead to fresh elections. A new prime minister could be chosen from among the current MPs instead.
Yesterday, Padang Rengas MP Nazri Aziz of Umno said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong could appoint a new prime minister as long as the person enjoyed majority support in the Dewan Rakyat.
Alternatively, Parliament could be dissolved and an interim prime minister appointed by the King until parliamentary elections are held.
“Umno’s leadership is divided on the morality of having elections now, and on the chances of us doing well if it happens now,” said the source.
The source added the faction pushing for the government’s fall are aware of the leadership’s skepticism and want to force its hands before the Umno AGM.
“They want to take that decision out of the collective leadership’s hands because sense might prevail by then (at the Umno AGM).”
Kelantan Umno chief Ahmad Jazlan’s withdrawal of support for Muhyiddin yesterday left only 111 MPs supporting the PN government in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat. Subsequently, Nazri told FMT more Umno MPs are expected to follow suit in withdrawing their support for the government.
At the assembly, Umno is expected to make a decision on severing ties with PPBM, the party led by Muhyiddin.
The source said the fall of Muhyiddin’s government will not necessarily lead to fresh elections. A new prime minister could be chosen from among the current MPs instead.
Yesterday, Padang Rengas MP Nazri Aziz of Umno said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong could appoint a new prime minister as long as the person enjoyed majority support in the Dewan Rakyat.
Alternatively, Parliament could be dissolved and an interim prime minister appointed by the King until parliamentary elections are held.
“Umno’s leadership is divided on the morality of having elections now, and on the chances of us doing well if it happens now,” said the source.
The source added the faction pushing for the government’s fall are aware of the leadership’s skepticism and want to force its hands before the Umno AGM.
“They want to take that decision out of the collective leadership’s hands because sense might prevail by then (at the Umno AGM).”
Kelantan Umno chief Ahmad Jazlan’s withdrawal of support for Muhyiddin yesterday left only 111 MPs supporting the PN government in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat. Subsequently, Nazri told FMT more Umno MPs are expected to follow suit in withdrawing their support for the government.
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kt notes:
Let's speculate on the new PM (assuming the Muhyiddin government falls), for we Malaysians are aces at speculation and mongering, if at anything at all, wakakaka:
1. Agong asks for an "interim" PM wakakaka. Now a reminder, a PM must be a member of the Dewan Rakyat and not a senator, wakakaka again. And surely as we know, he or she must be a Malay. Who then (leaving Najib and Zahid out as they're facing court charges)?:
(a) Ku Li? - he is from UMNO and does have the academic and professional credentials and also the political & administrative experience, but will the Agong want him?
(b) Moo-Moo? - why not. It'll only be his PN government which falls and the role is for an "interim" PM. He has all the qualifications short of confidence for him. And the Agong can ignore that as Moo-Moo will only be an "interim" PM.
(c) Mahathir? Wakakaka - I think the Agong will not allow that as the excuse will probably be Mahathir is far too old.
(d) Pak Hadi? - no qualification other than full knowledge on the Quran, full stop.
(e) Mohd Hasan a.k.a Tok Mat? - ideal but alas, he's not a MP of the Dewan Rakyat.
(f) Anwar Ibrahim? - why not when he was acting PM before. After all, he will only be an "interim" PM.
(g) Ass-binte? - wakakaka, you decide.
2. Agong asks for a new government headed by a new PM who has the confidence of the majority of MPs in the Dewan Rakyat, and this will mean the MPs of PKR, DAP and Amanah as well.
(a) Ku Li?
(b) Anwar Ibrahim?
(c) Mahathir?
Wakakaka, let's leave the speculations on that for another post.
Hadi has full knowledge of the Quran....? Hmmmmmm....
ReplyDeleteonly the knowledgeable know how to twist n spin the quran.
DeleteThen, YOU???
DeleteHow would appointing Yiddin as interim PM solve the problem?
ReplyDeletehe still agong boy, agong prefer a boy, not a atuk, n who tell agong wan solution.
DeleteAzmin is the most dynamic of the group.
ReplyDeleteThe Video was impressive.
Bersatu is Berdua.
ReplyDeleteUMNO is Berempat.
I think Dr Dzulkefly from AMANAH, a toxicologist and former Minister of Health should be interim PM. We need to focus on Covid-19, which is about to explode in Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteconman can handle both faction better than the rest, though i am fine with hasan n azmin.
ReplyDeleteShort Term Top Priority must be Covid. Second short term priority is ECONOMY, preservation of JOBS, SMEs, self-employed etc. Third is EDUCATION, which has been severely disrupted.
ReplyDeleteThe Twit of a Twat Finance Minister is a complete idiot, he can't even do basic maths. I would bring Guanee back as FM.....ha ha ha....
QUOTE
Zafrul lambasted over claims about foreign investment
FMT Reporters -January 9, 2021
PETALING JAYA: Finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz has been criticised by business leaders after he made a posting about the level of foreign investment in Malaysia last year and investors’ confidence in the country.
He had argued in a posting on the professional social media platform LinkedIn that foreign and domestic investment in Malaysia had amounted to RM109.8 billion for the first nine months of 2020.
“How’s that for investors’ continued confidence in Malaysia?” he said.
However, Sven Schneider, chief executive of the European Chamber of Commerce, said in response to Tengku Zafrul’s post that European foreign investors have many concerns about Malaysia being a “viable investment destination”.
“Until today, the Honorable Minister was not even able to meet with us and listen to the concerns of our corporations,” Schnieder said. “Without these inputs, your Ministry certainly cannot address the problems on the ground.”
Tengku Zafrul’s figures were also questioned by the chief executive of a Kuala Lumpur-based online shopping and e-commerce site.
Christian Angell Isaksen of Collectr Sdn Bhd said: “I don’t see how close to RM1.6 billion in investments yielding 1,800 jobs is great. That basically means the cost of each job is close to RM900,000.”
He said he hoped Malaysia would start focusing more on tech investments and incentives to attract new start-ups and keep the existing ones. “The way it is now I’m afraid Malaysia will lose out to every other country in Southeast Asia.”
Tengku Zafrul had said that investments in 2020 involved close to 3,000 projects in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors.
He said the Penjana Kapital scheme had facilitated investment from eight international venture capital fund managers for RM1.57 billion into Malaysian start-ups for fintech, edutech, agritech, mobility and Artificial Intelligence, which he claimed would create 1,800 jobs.
UNQUOTE