Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh’s increasingly confrontational push to revive Muafakat Nasional and urge UMNO to abandon the unity government has begun to wear thin, not only among coalition partners but also within his own party ranks. The UMNO Youth chief’s outspoken stance has triggered visible discomfort among senior leaders, signalling growing isolation for the Merlimau assemblyman.
While UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has yet to publicly rebuke Akmal, other party leaders have stepped in to draw a clear line between official party policy and the youth leader’s rhetoric. On 5 January 2026, UMNO information chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said questioned the credibility of a survey used to justify calls for withdrawing from the unity government, raising doubts over the identity and representativeness of the 1,800 respondents cited. The survey was presented during UMNO Youth’s special convention on 3 January 2026.
Earlier, Defence Minister and UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin described the proposal to revive Muafakat Nasional as a personal view rather than a party position, stressing that strategic decisions must come from collective deliberation at multiple levels. He made clear that there had been no formal discussion within the party on reuniting with PAS.
Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir echoed this position, emphasising that any proposal to exit the unity government must go through UMNO’s Supreme Working Council. He reminded youth leaders that while grassroots voices matter, such issues require restraint and political maturity.
The timing has complicated matters for Zahid, who faces intense pressure ahead of UMNO’s general assembly scheduled for 14 to 17 January 2026. His leadership remains under scrutiny following the party’s post-election compromises and his own unresolved legal controversies, limiting his room to openly discipline Akmal without inflaming internal tensions.
Beyond UMNO, Akmal’s remarks have aggravated relations with Democratic Action Party leaders, particularly in Melaka. His suggestion that DAP and Amanah could simply exit the state government drew sharp responses from DAP figures, who accused him of persistently attempting to destabilise the unity government since its formation. Critics argue that his actions are less about principle and more about reviving a political alignment that has already failed.
The growing backlash has led some observers, both inside and outside UMNO, to portray Akmal as overreaching his influence, likening his approach to a minor figure behaving as though he wields outsized power. As senior leaders continue to distance themselves, his campaign appears to be hardening divisions rather than rallying support.
With the party assembly approaching, UMNO’s leadership faces a delicate balancing act: containing internal dissent while preventing further strain on its governing alliances.
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