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If angels would resign, but a politician stays, who’s the braver soul? Zahid’s boast says a lot about UMNO, and even more about the people who clapped.
By Mihar Dias July 2025
In Malaysian politics, exaggeration is practically part of the job description. But every so often, a politician raises the bar for audacious self-regard. This week’s honour belongs to Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, who declared — with either deadpan seriousness or the grin of a man daring the public to blink — that even angels would quit if tasked with leading UMNO. But not him. https://youtu.be/CuRNaCBn5_o?si=lpSI3bbRaZSTvmZo
The remark, delivered before a loyal crowd, went: “Kalau Allah merintahkan Malaikat untuk menjadi Presiden UMNO, pasti Malaikat pun lari malam, tetapi tidak saya.” https://youtu.be/CuRNaCBn5_o?si=lpSI3bbRaZSTvmZo
Loosely: If God commanded an angel to lead UMNO, even the angel would flee by night — but not me.
For the faithful in the hall, it was comedy gold. For the rest of us, it was a sobering glimpse into the peculiar sense of invincibility that seems to cling to certain political personalities.
Respected Islamic scholar Dr MAZA wasn’t amused. He reminded everyone that in Islamic belief, angels are beings of pure obedience, incapable of defiance, stress, or spontaneous resignation. To suggest that even such celestial beings would abandon the UMNO presidency, while Zahid soldiered on, borders on the theologically absurd — and, at worst, reeks of spiritual arrogance. https://youtu.be/CuRNaCBn5_o?si=lpSI3bbRaZSTvmZo
But beyond theological quibbles lies a bigger problem: the normalisation of unchecked ego in politics. Statements like these are typically dismissed as “jangan ambil serius”, the classic defence for verbal misfires. Yet history has shown that what leaders say in jest often hints at how they perceive themselves — and the people they lead.
Is this humility? Of course not. It’s precisely the kind of takabbur (arrogance) religious texts repeatedly caution against. The real issue isn’t whether Zahid meant it, but that it was said at all, and met with cheers instead of alarm. https://youtu.be/CuRNaCBn5_o?si=lpSI3bbRaZSTvmZo
Will Zahid backtrack? Perhaps, draped in the language of tawadhu’, claiming it was a harmless joke, taken out of context, or spoken in the camaraderie of party faithful. The playbook is familiar.
But in a party already struggling for moral relevance and public trust, this latest foot-in-mouth moment is a reminder of why even metaphorical angels might prefer to steer clear of the job.
In Malaysian politics, there’s no shortage of volunteers for impossible roles. Just don’t expect heavenly endorsement anytime soon.
Mihar Dias (mihardias@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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