By Niza Shimi
An interesting Facebook post by former New Straits Times group editor Datuk A Kadir Jasin (AKJ) does provoke thought. Posted on February 8, 2023 AKJ wrote about the “triumphant” return of the 10th Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PMX) to United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) headquarters.
An interesting point that AKJ noted, “10. Ceritanya sekarang mudah saja. Anwar amat terdesak untuk membuktikan yang kerajaan pimpinannya mempunyai sokongan Melayu, sama ada secara langsung melalui Pakatan Harapan atau secara tidak langsung melalui Umno. Presiden Umno, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, pula memerlukan Anwar untuk terus bernyawa-nyawa ikan.”
(Loosely translated: 10. The story now is simple. Anwar is under duress to prove that the government he leads has the support of the Malays, whether directly via Pakatan Harapan or indirectly through UMNO. UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in turn, needs Anwar to continue on his last legs.)
Now that’s an interesting point of view from a consummate newsman who is known as a loyal ally of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. AKJ regularly writes his thoughts on politics and other developments in the country. His point of view matters but, is he right?
Is Anwar and Zahid needing to hold on to each other in the Unity Government for their own political survival? AKJ talked of the symbolism of the return of Anwar to the UMNO HQ located in Menara Dato’ Onn, (Putra) World Trade Centre. (Anwar was sacked from UMNO on September 3, 1998.)
In turn, Anwar also posted a symbolic photograph of himself and Zahid in a small congregation for prayers led by the UMNO youth chief, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki who is also the chief of the secretariat for the Unity Government.
It is also interesting to note that on May 14, 2020 it was Parti Islam SeMalaysia president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang also set foot in the same UMNO HQ office for the first time as it was then the secretariat for the short-lived UMNO/PAS Muafakat Nasional (MN).
Many still recall the tears shed at the massive gathering of PAS and UMNO members at the then PWTC for the signing of the MN charter. It was hailed as a historic moment for the unity of the ummah. As they say, that is all now history.
The MN with UMNO was disbanded and PAS later reformed the MN with Perikatan Nasional (PN). The MN later evolved yet again into a non-governmental organisation with Tan Sri Annuar Musa, an UMNO reject, as president. But that’s another story.
For Asyraf it must be indeed symbolic. Him leading the congregational prayer with PMX and DPM is an honour for he is widely known as a pious Islamic scholar. Anwar and Zahid, both projecting an Islamic persona, stepped back in acknowledgement.
For Asyraf who also played a pivotal in the old MN, the moment must be even more poignant as the ummah should set aside political differences and unite in subservience to Allah as humble servants. Yet, the unity of MN has been replaced by the Unity Government led by Anwar.
Is it true that Malays don’t support PH? According to PMX, that claim is rubbish.
Whatever the claims, for UMNO members and for Malays in general, the sight of Democratic Action Party secretary-general Anthony Loke sitting at the same table in the UMNO HQ must have cut like a knife. That is more significant than the return of Anwar.
What will the presence of the DAP in the hallowed halls of the UMNO building symbolise for the Malays voters still loyal to UMNO? Is this what the founders of UMNO championed?
Did Anwar and Zahid achieve the symbolism of unity that they hoped or did it do otherwise? Could this instead be the signal that the end of UMNO as we know it is imminent?
Niza Shimi 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!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.