Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh’s declaration that he would step down as a Melaka state executive councillor to “fight DAP to the end” has ignited more than just applause from segments of the Umno grassroots.
It has triggered an uncomfortable but necessary question within the party: is Akmal truly aiming his political firepower at DAP, or is his real struggle directed at Umno’s own leadership and strategic direction?
Umno president Dato' Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s response was telling. Rather than rebuking Akmal outright, Zahid said he would meet the Umno Youth chief to seek clarification - specifically, to understand who Akmal intends to target and how this “fight” will be conducted. Zahid’s words carried a subtext of concern: political rhetoric, when unchecked, can blur the line between opposition politics and internal rebellion.
Akmal’s resignation from the Melaka exco, framed as a moral sacrifice to represent the voice of Umno’s grassroots, was meant to reinforce his credibility. By relinquishing office, he positioned himself as a leader unencumbered by executive responsibility, free to speak boldly and confront perceived enemies. Yet, while DAP was named as the target, the implications of his speech reached far beyond the coalition partner.
In recent months, Akmal has consistently questioned Umno’s place in the unity government, openly flirting with the idea of realigning the party closer to PAS. His argument is emotionally potent: if Umno can reconcile and cooperate with DAP - a party historically portrayed as Umno’s ideological nemesis - why should it remain estranged from PAS, a fellow Malay-Muslim party? To Akmal, this contradiction undermines the narrative of Malay unity and exposes what he sees as selective pragmatism by Umno’s top leadership.
However, this line of reasoning places Umno in a strategic bind. Cooperation with DAP is a cornerstone of the current unity government, endorsed by Zahid and defended as a necessary compromise for political stability.
Akmal’s repeated attacks on DAP, therefore, risk being interpreted not merely as opposition rhetoric, but as an indirect challenge to the leadership’s authority and judgment.
This tension is further amplified by Akmal’s call to reinstate sacked and suspended Umno leaders such as Khairy Jamaluddin, Hishammuddin Hussein and Shahril Hamdan. On the surface, it is an appeal for reconciliation and internal unity. Beneath it lies a critique of past purges and a suggestion that Umno weakened itself through exclusion and intolerance of dissent. In doing so, Akmal is effectively questioning whether the current leadership has learned from the party’s electoral collapse in 2018 and 2022.
Perhaps Akmal’s most stinging remark was his warning about Umno’s “denial syndrome”. While leaders enjoy the comfort of ministerial posts and government positions, he argued, the grassroots reality tells a different story - one of eroding support, disillusionment and identity crisis. This diagnosis cuts close to the bone, because it challenges the legitimacy of Umno’s current comfort zone within government.
Seen in this light, Akmal’s “fight DAP to the end” slogan may be more symbolic than literal. DAP is the convenient external adversary, but the real contest is over Umno’s soul: whether it continues down the path of pragmatic multiracial governance, or pivots back towards ethno-centric consolidation anchored by PAS.
Zahid’s decision to meet Akmal suggests that the leadership recognises the danger of allowing this rift to widen. If mishandled, Akmal’s populist momentum could deepen factionalism within Umno. If engaged constructively, it could also serve as a wake-up call - a reminder that unity government politics does not absolve the party from confronting its declining grassroots relevance.
In the end, the question is not whether Akmal is fighting DAP. The more pressing issue is whether Umno can reconcile its internal contradictions before it turns its weapons on itself.
By: Kpost
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